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DICK HALEY 


A thrilling story of poverty, heroism 
and suffering, dealing with real 
life and a vital problem of 
our Public Schools 



By 

0. B. WHITAKER 

Author of ‘'Herbert Brown' ’ 



DAYTON, OHIO 

CHRISTIAN PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION 
1910 


COPYRIGHTED BY 



0. B. WHITAKER, 

(X 

MEROM, IND. 


1910. 





©CLA261886 


PREFACE 


Upon the altar of the most important insti- 
tuition of my country I have offered my second* 
born son.* No angePs hand withheld the 
blade. Could I have found other means, I 
would have spared my child. Often did I cast 
about me in the thickets of possibility for the 
sacrifice that might be provided, but none was 
there. How often has my heart ached, and 
how often have I wept over the life of Dick 
Haley, and at its close how deeply did I feel 


* The indirect reference here is to “Herbebt Brown^^ 
the author’s first-born son of fiction, one of the most in- 
tensely interesting and popular books of its class published 
within the last decade. Copyrighted 1905, “Herbert 
Brown" has rapidly passed through seven editions of from 
1,000 to 5,000 copies each, and has received the hearty 
endorsement of Gov. Folk, Attorney-General (now Governor) 
Hadley, United Treasurer Akins, and others, besides scores 
of leading educators and divines. See advertisement last 
page. — Publishers. 


that THE CURTAIN HAD FALLEN THE LIGHTS 

WERE out! 

If the curtain rise on better possibilities for 
the less fortunate, tho not less valuable, chil- 
dren of our land ; if the lights of true love and 
sympathy burn brighter, and cast upon the 
mountains of prospect a fuller and better and 
more hopeful glow for other friendless, father- 
less children of poverty in our great public 
schools, the effort and the sacrifice are not in 
vain. 

The Author. 

Union Christian College, Merom, Ind,, Fely. 2, 1910. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER ONE. 

Prologue ...... 7 

CHAPTER TWO. 

Dick’s Home ------ 15 

CHAPTER THREE. 

The Buying of a Home - - - - 31 

CHAPTER FOUR. 

Dick’s First Day at School - - - 41 

CHAPTER FIVE. 

Dick’s Second Day at School - - - 59 


CHAPTER SIX. 

Glimpses of School Life - - - 73 

CHAPTER SEVEN. 

Death’s Shadow on the Threshold - - 89 

CHAPTER EIGHT. 

The Bully Outmatcht - - - - 99 

CHAPTER NINE. 

A Pearl-Handled Knife with a Silver Scroll 127 


CHAPTER TEN. 

The New Dick - . . . . 149 

CHAPTER ELEVEN. 

Further Developments - - - - 107 

CHAPTER TWELVE. 

With Intent to Kill . . _ . ig5 

CHAPTER THIRTEEN. 

Dick’s Last Encounter - . . . 201 


CHAPTER FOURTEEN. 

The Curtain Falls — The Lights Are Out - 


223 


DICK HALEY. 


» CHAPTER I. 

PROLOGUE. 

^^There, Dick.” The voice was rich with a 
mother’s love and mellow with an unconquer- 
able sorrow. It betrayed also the fatigue of 
the Monday morning’s washing, from which 
she had turned only a little before to prepare 
her oldest child for his first day at school. In 
fact, Dick did not remember ever having even 
visited a school. ‘^Your dinner is in this little 
bucket,” continued Mrs. Haley, placing it in 
his hand ; and then she stoopt and put her arms 
around him, and drew him to her, and kist 
him. ^H’ve put in two pieces of bread and but- 


8 


DICK HALEY 


ter and an egg. Will that be enough for my 
little man?^’ 

^Wes/’ replied Dick, with a half-puzzled ex- 
pression, intermingled with both joy and fear; 
^^but, ma, how’ll I know — how’ll I know — when 
— to eat my dinner?” 

the teacher will tell you, Dick ; and then 
you will see the other children, and when they 
eat their dinners you can eat yours.” 

^Where,” said the child, still hesitating and 
doubtful, — ^Vhere will I go to eat my din- 
ner ?” 

^Wou can eat it right in the school-house; or 
if you would rather you can take it out under 
one of the trees, and eat it there. Now I know 
you’ll have a fine time at school, and when you 
get home tonight you will have to tell Ester 
all about it, and Freddie will have to know 
too, brother; — won’t you, dear?” and she 
stoopt, and brusht the yellow curls back from 
the forehead of her three-year-old boy, and 
printed a kiss there. 

I must reveal to you some of the secrets of 


PROLOGUE 


9 


the environments of the life that is to figure 
most in the story it is my lot to chronicle. 

Dick’s father was a miner. I know nothing 
of his ancestry save what I can get from his 
name, his nature and his physiognomy. — Out- 
side of these, what does one’s ancestry count 
for anyway? for if our ancestors have not be- 
queathed to us in one or more of these re- 
spects, is not their renown only a tantalizing 
torment to us at our best, and their insignifi- 
cance an excuse for us at our worst? — But 
these (his name, his nature and his physiogno- 
my) all point strongly to Irish descent. In 
size and build he was well adapted to the ardu- 
ous vocation he had chosen. He was above the 
average man in size, large, stout feet, short, 
thick hands, the characteristic prominent 
brow, short slightly elevated nose, full lips, 
and otherwise obtuse features. Jim Haley’s 
face was a guaranty of good nature, good hu- 
mor and “Irish” wit; but withal there was 
written there that unmistakable fearlessness 
and almost reckless love of the fight, so charac- 


10 


DICK HALEY 


teristic of his race; — but again under that (if 
you will but look closely) a spirit of forgive- 
ness that will reach even to his worst enemy — 
after the fight. He was no drunkard — as the 
term is generally taken — tho he almost invari- 
ably celebrated his holidays with a ^^spree’\ 
I know but little of his life, nor have I thought 
it expedient (inasmuch as I am writing not 
his life, but that of his child) to inquire fur- 
ther into details. Of his sad end, this is all I 
know: — A year ago last Christmas (counting 
from the date of Dick’s first day in school) the 
lights were burning dimly in the only saloon 
in the little town three miles from Dick’s 
home. As the night advanced, the shouts and 
drunken laughter and empty oaths, inter- 
mingled with rude jests, that came indistinctly 
through the closed door and windows to the 
ears of those passing briskly along the hard- 
frozen street (for it was bitter cold) grew 
louder and louder. At about nine o’clock the 
careful ear of the passers-by could have de- 
tected a sudden change. The laughter had 




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'bartenders came pouring out. 




PROLOGUE 


11 


ceased. The oaths vibrated with anger. The 
jests gave way to threats and curses. There 
was a sound of crashing glasses, the splinter- 
ing of furniture, the rattle of a stove-pipe! 
Suddenly a broken chair came crashing through 
the window, scattering glass and sash over the 
dilapidated old wooden walk! Then the 
noise of the rum-maddened fight came pouring 
through the open window with a horrible dis- 
tinctness — hideous oaths, hellish threats and 
curses, bloodcurdling yells — a scream — a cry 
for mercy — a muffled gasp! — A moment’s aw- 
ful silence! — Then suddenly the door of the 
saloon burst open, and the struggling, mad- 
dened throng of miners, loafers, ^^toughs”, and 
bar-tenders came pouring out. There was a 
man supported between two others, staggering 
from side to side, a deep wound across his fore- 
head. Then came four other men carrying a 
fifth, blood and curses pouring from his mouth. 
Both groups were hurrying toward the drug- 
store, when a third group made its way through 
the door of the now almost empty saloon. In 


12 


DICK HALEY 


their midst was borne another form, but his 
lips were not muttering curses — they were 
silent in death. It was the body of Jim Haley. 
He had celebrated his last holiday. He had 
fought his last fight. His clothes were half 
torn from his body. There was a great blue 
knot on his forehead, and two deep knife cuts 
on his face. In his breast was a deep, gaping, 
ghastly wound. — That is all I know about it, 
— except that in a little cabin at eleven o’clock 
that night two children, boy and girl, aged five 
and three, were sleeping sweetly in a little 
trundle-bed, while in the single plain old rock- 
ing chair sat the mother with brooding, 
thoughtful face, holding in her arms a babe, 
gazing silently, sadly into the dickering fire, 
helpless, innocent, ignorant of the tragedy that 
held in its silent, unyielding grasp their des- 
tinies. There was a knock at the door — a mes- 
sage — a shriek; and then she staggered to- 
ward the bed, and laid the babe upon it ; then, 
glancing at the two sleeping children, she re- 


PROLOGUE 


13 


covered for a moment; then sank into her chair 
with claspt hands, exclaiming: 

^^O God ! O God, can it be true !” 

There was the coffin, the grave, the comfort- 
less sermon, the last look, the haunting thud 
of the frozen clods upon the hollow box, the 
benediction ; and the form of a poorly clad wo- 
man, bowed with grief, bearing in her arms a 
babe, two other children clinging to her skirts, 
one on either side, turned from the tomb; — 
behind them, a drunkard’s grave — before them, 
a widow’s and an orphan’s home; — on the 
heart of the one the almost unbearable load — 
drunkard’s wife”; the others helplessly 
markt for life with the burning brand — 
drunkard’s child”. Ah ! this is the price of the 
license of the American saloon ! Not the Hun- 
dred, nor the Five Hundred, nor the Thousand 
Dollars that are paid to the government for 
the legal permit. No, no; that is a mere mock- 
ery of the real price , — Why should it be paid 
in bitter, burning tears of innocent woman- 
hood, or in drops of blood wrung from a help- 


14 


DICK HALEY 


less mother’s heart? Why must the price be 
paid by innocent babes and helpless childhood 
in lives of poverty, neglect and shame and suf- 
fering? — Poor little Dick was comfortless 
when he realized that he had no father, and 
he sobbed himself to sleep that night after the 
funeral. Little three-year-old Ester askt ques- 
tion after question of the loved face in the 
casket, and why they put him in the ground, 
and when she would see him again — question 
after question, that pierced like arrows the 
broken, aching heart of her mother. — This, this 
is the price of the license of the American 
saloon. 


CHAPTER II. 


DICK^S HOME. 

I must ask the reader’s permission to go 
back about a year before Dick’s first day at 
school. Mrs. Haley had finisht washing the 
breakfast dishes, and was sweeping the fioor. 
Dick and Ester had got permission to play 
awhile down by the little brook in the pas- 
ture. Freddie was sitting fiat on the ground 
in the yard, busily engaged with a sharp stick, 
digging a hole. Looking up from her sweep- 
ing, Mrs. Haley saw a man on horseback rid- 
ing past her home. She recognized at once her 
neighbor. Dropping her broom, she ran out to 
the gate, and hailed him with, ^^Good morning, 
Mr. Beman.” 

^^Mornin’, Missus Haley,” responded the 


16 


DICK HALEY 


man, checking his horse, and looking round 
quickly at the unexpected salutation, and then 
turning his horse, and riding up near the 
speaker. Mr. Beman was a large, full-faced, 
red-whiskered man, apparently about sixty 
years of age. ‘‘Come on, Fred,’’ and the old 
man laughed heartily. As Mrs. Haley ran 
past him, little Freddie lookt up from his play, 
then dropt his stick, got up “on all fours”, 
with some difficulty rose to an upright posi- 
tion, which he had no sooner attained than 
he lost his balance, staggered backward, and 
sat plump down just where he had started 
from. All undaunted, he repeated the effort, 
got to his feet again, and, as soon as he could 
balance himself, started toddling after his 
mother. He had not gone far when his eyes 
lighted on the man and horse, and he stopt as 
suddenly as he could. Then an expression of 
recognition broke out on his face, and he again 
started forward at his highest speed, shouting 
and waving a pair of little chubby dirt-soiled 
hands. During the entire performance, Fred- 


DICK’S HOME 


17 


die had never taken his eyes off his coveted 
goal — not even when he was falling, or scramb- 
ling to his feet. 

^^Now that’s the kind uv a feller ’at gets 
there,” said the horseman, who, after answer- 
ing Mrs. Haley’s salutation, had been watch- 
ing with deep amusement, and no less interest, 
the approach of the child. ^‘Hand ’im up, Mrs. 
Haley.” 

no, Mr. Beman ; I should be afraid to risk 
him on a horse like that.” 

’Fraid uv Old Tom,” laught the old man ; 
^^You mustn’t talk thet way ’fore Tom, Mrs. 
Haley, er you’ll uffend ’im. I tell you there’s 
mighty few uv us ’at have better reason to be 
proud uv our records than what Tom has ; an’ 
he’s natur’ly kinder techy ’long thet line. — 
Hand ’im right up ; hand ’im right up,” and he 
laught again, as he patted the old horse’s 
sleek, glossy neck. 

^^But,” said Mrs. Haley, still holding Fred- 
die back, who was struggling with might and 
main to free himself from her grasp, stopt 


18 


DICK HALEY 


you to ask about a matter of business, Mr. 
Beman.” 

^Well, gener’ly growed up folks’s bus’ness’ll 
keep fur awhile, but youngsters’ won’t, — it’ll 
spile right off if it ain’t ’tended to. So let 
Freddie take a little ride on 01’ Tom, an’ then 
we’ll attend to the other bus’ness.” 

^^Are you quite sure he’s perfectly safe, Mr. 
Beman ?” 

‘‘Safe! I spect he’s safer’n his master be, 
Mrs. Haley,” and the old man chuckled mus- 
ingly. ^^The youngster’d be safe in a box-stall 
with Old Tom. He wouldn’t hurt ’im fur the 
world. He’s might nigh’s old’s you be, an’ he 
never done a mean thing in his life, — lessen it 
wus when he kickt Bill Snyder’s pesky dog 
silly ’at run out an’ nipped ’im on the heel 
when he t\uis goin’ ’long the road ’tendin’ to 
his own bus’ness,” and he chuckled again, ^^but 
that wus ’fore he’d reacht his ^teens’. — ^Thar 
ain’t a bit uv danger, Mrs. Haley. Hand ’im 
right up.” 

^Well, now, wait, if you want to ride,” said 


DICK’S HOME 


19 


the mother to the child. The latter’s patience 
had long since been exhausted; and he was 
struggling, tugging, pulling with all his might, 
and crying; but at these words from his moth- 
er all this suddenly stopt, and he threw him- 
self into position to be lifted up. Mrs. Haley, 
still with some misgivings, caught him up in 
her arms and lifted him up. She did not have 
to lift him far, for the old man, still strong 
and vigorous, dropt the reins on the trusty 
neck of the faithful old horse, and, leaning 
down, extended his arms, and caught the child 
up, and set him in the saddle before him. 

The triumvirate of Pompey, Julius Caesar 
and Crassus may have been more powerful or 
more widely famous ; but it could hardly have 
been more imposing, and it certainly was nev- 
er happier or more completely agreeable to its 
constituents than was the one that now moved 
triumphantly down the road from the Widow 
Haley’s humble home. 

Tom was a large, sleek, fat, beautiful dark 
bay horse (only a shade darker than his mas- 


20 


DICK HALEY 


ter’s beard — before it was streakt with gray) 
with a heavy jet-black mane and tail. From 
his colthood Tom had had but one owner, and 
the fondness between horse and master was 
markt and mutual. His mouth had never 
known a cruel bit, or his body an angry blow. 
His splendid proportions, good style and ad- 
mirable disposition had called forth many a 
tempting bid from horse-buyers; but he was 
one of the few properties his owner invariably 
refused to price. Tho his proud foot had 
spurned the snows of more than twenty win- 
ters, yet he still moved with a grace and dig- 
nity that would have done honor to a more 
youthful age. 

Mr. Beman — ^well, everybody knew David 
Beman. The very farm where he was born be- 
longed to his estate at this time. He had 
passed in this immediate neighborhood through 
all the transitional periods under the succes- 
sive names, ^^Davie,’’ ^^Dave,’’ ^^Mr. Beman;” 
and now he was beginning to answer occasion- 
lly to the title ^^Uncle Dave”. He was rough 


DICK’S HOME 


21 


and even uncouth in manner, outspoken in 
sentiment, and, under sudden or extreme prov- 
ocation, sometimes quick-tempered. But he 
was honest and straightforward in his deal- 
ings, and with all his rude exterior he was nev- 
ertheless kindhearted ; and not a few were they 
that could testify that he was good to those in 
need. He was a prosperous farmer and stock- 
man. His opinion of live-stock was recognized 
as law in the neighborhood. If he missed 
guessing the weight of a fat hog ten pounds, 
his neighbors immediately resolved themselves 
into a judicial senate to try the scales on im- 
peachment charges for dishonesty. 

As to Freddie, he was at this moment so 
joyously happy that it would be almost a crime 
to try to analyze his rapture. Old Tom was 
to him for the time the entire universe. He 
was holding the reins (which the old man had 
surrendered to him), one in either hand, and 
kicking both sides of the saddle as hard and as 
fast as he could make his little bare feet go, 
clucking, and shouting, ‘^Gi’ up, gi’ up!” and 


22 


DICK HALEY 


shaking the reins against both sides of the 
horse’s neck. To all of which Tom paid not 
the slightest attention, unless it was to step a 
little more carefully, or to select a little more 
surely his footing. The slightest touch from 
his master’s hand or a single word or cluck 
would have sent the responsive steed trotting 
briskly down the road; but Old Tom had 
taught too many youngsters to ride to make 
the irremediable blunder of responding to their 
indescribable initiatory performances. Mr. 
Beman let Freddie and Tom have their own 
way until the legs and arms of the former be- 
gan to get weary of the vigorous and (to him) 
absolutely essential accompaniment to horse- 
back riding ; and then leaning forward he said, 
with all the interest he might have manifested 
in the purchase of a farm or a carload of hogs ; 

‘^Now, Freddie, when you want to turn Tom, 
just pull on the rein the way you want ’im to 
go. When you want ’im to go this way, pull 
on this rein ; and when you want ’im to go that 
way, pull on that rein,” indicating by gestures 


DICK^S HOME 


23 


the meaning of the instructions. ^^Now, pull 
this rein/’ he continued, touching the rein in- 
tended. 

Tom turned his head slightly to make sure 
it was not simply a childish freak, and, feeling 
the pressure on the bit unslackt, stept careful- 
ly out of the road, and began circling round. 

^^There, that’ll do. Now give ’im the rein 
again,” said Mr. Beman, slipping the tight rein 
gently through Freddie’s hand, as the horse re- 
turned to the road, headed back toward the 
place of starting. 

Mrs. Haley had watched the entire perform- 
ance with manifest interest, at first with some 
anxiety ; but Old Tom had changed all her anx- 
iety to admiration and confidence before he 
had taken a dozen steps. As the company ap- 
proacht her, a smile lighted up her sad, care- 
worn face. Without a word or a touch from 
either of his riders, Old Tom turned from the 
road, and walkt straight up to the gate at 
which Mrs. Haley was standing, and stopt di- 


24 


DICK HALEY 


rectly in front of her, with a stately air of in- 
jured pride that seemed to say; 

^^Here, Missus, is yer youngster. Take ’im. 
Now don’t ye feel kinder ’shamed o’ what ye 
said ’bout me ’while ago?” 

With a face smiling in sympathy with the 
happy heart of her child, Mrs. Haley approacht 
with outstretched arms to take Freddie down 
from the horse. — But no ; Freddie had no such 
intentions, and he shrank away from her so 
far and so suddenly that he would have 
tumbled off on the other side of the horse had 
not Mr. Beman caught him. 

^‘He’ll be all right here for awhile, Mrs. 
Haley, I reckon. Guess I’ll have to put another 
feed box in Tom’s stall, an’ take ’im home with 
me, an’ turn ’im in the stall with Old Tom for 
awhile, they’ve got to be such good frien’s,” 
said the old man, with another of his charac- 
teristic chuckles, as he lookt down at the con- 
tented and happy child. ^‘But you’s sayin’ 
somethin’ ’bout a little bus’ness, Mrs. Haley.” 

‘‘Yes,” replied the widow, who had retraced 


DICK’S HOME 


25 


her steps, and was leaning with unconscious 
grace on the gate-post, sorry to have to 

bother 3"Ou so much, Mr. Beman ; but I do not 
know the first thing about business, and don’t 
know to whom else to go.” 

^^No bother ’tall, no bother ’tall. It it’s any 
advice I can give, or if it’s anything else I can 
do, I’ll be mighty glad to do it. You see Tom 
an’ me’ve ’bout retired frum active work any- 
way, ’ceptin’ gen’ral overseein’ an’ such like; 
ain’t we, Tom?” and he reacht down and 
patted the horse on the neck. Tom pricked 
his ears, and raised his head slightly, uncer- 
tain whether it was one of his master’s semi- 
soliloquys that he had never been quite able 
to comprehend, or a signal to proceed on his 
way ; but, satisfied it was the former, 
he settled again into his wonted atti- 
tude of rest. ^^But reely I don’t know as my 
advice’d be uv much use to you unless you’re 
thinkin’ uv goin’ into the hog-shippin’ or 
cattle-feedin’ bus’ness,” and he chuckled again. 
A faint smile was the only response from the 


26 


DICK HALEY 


widow to his humor ; and then, without further 
heeding his jest, she said; 

^^IVe been thinking of trying to buy us a 
home, and I wondered whether that would be 
the right thing to do, and I wanted to ask your 
advice.’’ 

^^Yes, that would be the right thing to do,” 
answered the old man, after a short silence. 
Tho, as he grew older, he was falling into the 
habit of dwelling upon unimportant details, 
irrelevant and immaterial, — in short, of adopt- 
ing that profuseness of style (if our critics 
will permit us to apply that rhetorical term 
to ^^Uncle Dave’s” language) so characteristic 
of that period of life ; yet when it came to mat- 
ters of business he invariably dropt back into 
his characteristic habit of thinking much, say- 
ing little, and that to the point. 

^Then, I’d thought of this house,” she con- 
tinued, glancing back over her shoulder at the 
little old weatherbeaten building behind her, 
twelve feet square, with a lean-to half as much 
larger. The curl and color of the shingles in- 


DICK’S HOME 


27 


dicated that the house had stood there for some 
time. It bore no evidence of ever having been 
painted, and boards were tacked over two win- 
dows, and rags tucked into a third, where the 
glasses were broken out. However, except 
the lean-to (which was a mere storage shed), 
it had the appearance of being a fairly com- 
fortable room. It had been the home of the 
Haley family for the past three or four years, 
— ever since they had moved to the neighbor- 
hood. There was a well, with an old-fashioned 
windlass, just back of the house in the shade 
of a solitary aged peach-tree. These, with one 
or two valueless outbuildings, constituted the 
entire ^Improvements”. 

^^How much money do you have to buy 
with ?” 

have a hundred and seventeen dollars 
left, and all the debts and accounts are paid. 
I have no idea what this property is worth, or 
whether it is for sale at all. I think I could 
safely invest what I have, for with the work I 
am getting to do I can make a living for my- 


28 


DICK HALEY 


self and the children. Do you know whether 
it is for sale, and will you tell me what it is 
worth, and whether you consider it a good in- 
vestment for me?^’ 

^^If it suits you an’ can be bought right, it 
would be a very good investment for you. With 
an acre uv groun’ I should think it might be 
worth a little more than thet, — but the neigh- 
bors would be willin’ to help you a little, if 
you wouldn’t object, I think.” Mr. Beman 
was not a man of the finest sensibilities, yet 
he added this last with some hesitancy, not 
knowing just how the widow might receive it; 
nor were his conjectures ill-grounded. Her 
eyes dropt for a moment to the ground, her 
face colored slightly, she bit her lip, and then 
looking up she replied with a slightly percepti- 
ble effort ; 

feel deeply grateful to the neighbors for 
the kindnesses they have shown me,” and she 
paused to gain full mastery of herself before 
she proceeded, ^^but I had thought, — that is, — 
that may be the children might after awhile 


DICK’S HOME 


29 


feel more like it is our own home if I could pay 
for it all myself.” 

^^Yes, yes; I see, I see,” said Mr. Beman 
quickly, anxious to retrieve his blunder. ^Well, 
we’ll see about it. I’ll see Mr. Brighton today. 
I’m on my way to town now, and if this young 
man will surrender my horse to me I’ll be go- 
ing.” 

Freddie made no further objections, and was 
handed down. 

^‘By the way,” said Mr. Beman, checking his 
horse, and turning back, ^^if I can buy the prop- 
erty for a price you can afford to pay shall I 
close a deal for it?” 

^^I should like to leave the matter entirely 
to your judgment, Mr. Beman, if it isn’t ask- 
ing too much. Shall I get the money for you?” 

no, there’ll be time enough for that after 
we see what can be done. I’ll do the best I 
can,” and he rode away. 



CHAPTER III. 


THE BUYING OP A HOME. 

Mr. Brighton was the leading business man 
of the little village, besides having numerous 
real estate holdings in the surrounding neigh- 
borhood. He was a strict churchman, — in 
fact, for many years had been a deacon in his 
church. He had never been known to violate 
a business agreement, and his paper was good 
wherever he was known. Yet, for all that, it 
was well understood by those who had busi- 
ness acquaintance with him that he depended 
upon the one with whom he was dealing to 
^dook out for himself.^’ In short, he himself 
often summed up his own idea of business in 
^daw and justice, but a written contract de- 
termines them both.’’ 


32 


DICK HALEY 


When Mr. Beman knocked at the office door 
of Mr. Brighton, the latter was busily engaged 
in looking over some legal papers, and with- 
out turning round from his desk, he said; 

^^Come in,” and then looking over his shoul 
der, and seeing who it was, he rose and ad- 
vanced, extending his hand. ^^How are you, 
Mr. Beman?” 

^^Pust rate; fust rate,” replied the other, 
taking the offered chair, ^^an’ how’re you an’ 
your folks?” 

^^All well, I thank you. I had forgotten to 
inquire of your wife’s health — I believe that is 
all of your family at home now, is it not?” 

^Wes sir; that’s all, that’s all. — Well, she’s 
not as peart as I be, but I guess neither of us 
have any good reason to complain. I see you’re 
busy,” he continued, after a moment’s pause, 
^^an’ I’ll just tell you my bus’ness, an’ be goin’.” 

^^I’ve no objections to talking business, I 
am sure, Dave, — especially if there is a good 
proposition in it for me,” replied the other, 
with a little easy laugh, and dropping into a 


BUYING A HOME 


33 


familiar style with his old friend, ^^but there’s 
no need of cutting our visit short on account of 
my business.” 

^Well, the Widder Haley wanted me to stop 
an’ see what you might want for the little 
house where she’s livin’ an’ about an acre uv 
groun’. She has a little money saved after 
payin’ Jim’s funeral expenses an’ so on, an’ she 
’lowed she might like to have a little home uv 
her own.” 

see; I see;” replied Mr. Brighton, thought- 
fully, ^^but really I have not given the matter 
any thought. I hardly know what the house 
and an acre of ground would be worth. You 
know it’s a two-room house, and there is a 
good well. How would two hundred and fifty 
dollars be for the price?” 

^^More’n it’s worth, an’ she couldn’t pay it 
if it WU8 worth it,” replied the old man, in his 
characteristic, curt business way. 

it wouldn’t make any difference about 
that. If she could pay down, say, an hundred 
and fifty, I could give her time on the rest.” 


34 


DICK HALEY 


^^She’s just got a little money, an’ she hain’t 
got no one to help her, an’ she’s got her ban’s 
about full, an’ it would be out uv the question 
for her to buy the property at anything like 
them figures,” replied Mr. Beman, with some 
decision. 

^That is to be considered, Dave. You are 
right. She is deserving of assistance, and we 
must consider that. I will tell you what I 
will do,” he continued, slapping his hand down 
on his knee and leaning forward, ‘‘I will sell 
her that house with an acre of ground for even 
two hundred,” 

^^She’s got just one hundred and seventeen 
dollars, — that’s ever’ dollar she’s got.” 

I couldn’t think of selling it for that,” 
replied Mr. Brighton, a little emphatically, 
^Tbut, as I said, she need not pay it all down. I 
will take the one hundred and seventeen and 
give her time on the balance, if that would 
suit her.” 

^Well,” said the old man, after a moment’s 
thought, ^^she’s left it to my judgment, an’ my 


BUYING A HOME 


35 


judgment is, it ain’t worth it, an’ so I’ll be 
goin’,” and he rose from his chair. 

^^Don’t be in a hurry, Dave. Wait a minute. 
You might tell me what you think is the best 
she will do, and I will consider the matter. I 
should like to accommodate her, if I can.” 

Mr. Beman stopt, turned half way around, 
and stood for a moment with his eyes on the 
floor, apparently debating something with him- 
self. Then turning toward the other, his face 
suddenly assumed its distinctive business de- 
cision, as he said; 

^T’ll tell you just exactly what I’ll do, Mr. 
Brighton ; but you’ll have a mighty short time 
to consider uv the matter, for if it don’t suit 
you, that settles it ; an’ I’ll find her a property 
somewheres else. — If you’ll put a good shingle 
roof on the house an’ put in the winder lights 
that’s broke out, I’ll give you one hundred an’ 
fifty dollars cash down, an’ not a dollar more.” 

Mr. Brighton knew too well the man with 
whom he was dealing to quibble. That he had 
spoken his final word so far as concession was 


36 


DICK HALEY 


concerned was beyond question. After a mo- 
ment’s silent deliberation, he replied; 

^Well, I guess since it is a widow, and she 
needs help, I will let her have it for that.” 

^^Can you put a carpenter to putting on the 
roof this afternoon?” 

think so. I will see.” 

^^Have the deed made out by three o’clock 
tomorrow, an’ I’ll call for it. Good-day.” 

^^All right. Good-bye.” 

^^They’s one thing more,” said Mr. Beman, 
turning, and retracing his steps, ^^put the 
amount in the deed one hundred and fifteen 
dollars. You see, she’ll feel a little better if 
she thinks she bought it all herself ; an’ I would 
like to ask you to keep the real purchase price 
entirely between us.” 

^A^'es; I understand. It will be just as you 
desire,” and the old man again took his leave. 

Tom was soon jogging along toward home, 
and his master, as was his wont, when thinking 
strongly, was muttering to himself; 

^^Mebby it’s all right, but it don’t look thet 


BUYING A HOME 


37 


way to me. Wanted two hundred and fifty 
dollars for it. He knowed it wa'n’t worth it 
by a hundred. Burned if I don’t b’lieve he’d 
cheat a widder just as quick as he would me, 
— an’ a little quicker, too, I reckon,” and he 
chuckled to himself. He was still thinking 
over the little transaction, and philosophizing 
on the attitude of the man with whom he had 
dealt, when he reacht the home of the widow. 
She and the children were eating dinner, as he 
could see through the window. 

^^Hallo!” he shouted, and there was a gen- 
eral movement around the table; and then the 
widow appeared at the door, and, seeing who it 
was, hastened to the gate. ‘‘Well, I bought 
the house for you, Mrs. Haley.” 

“O, did you? And what did it cost?” 

“Only — er — I got it so’s you’ll be out only a 
hundred and fifteen dollars. That’ll leave you 
two dollars for seed, won’t it?” and he forced 
a little laugh to cover up his awkwardness in 
trying to hide the truth. 

“Did you buy it for only one hundred and 


38 


DICK HALEY 


fifteen dollars?’’ askt the woman, with deep 
interest. 

^^Well, I ha’n’t told ye all yet,” said the old 
man, determined to draw her attention from 
the item of price; ^^you see, tha’s to be a new 
roof put on right away, — mebby this afternoon, 
an’ the broken glasses are to be put in, an’ 
you’re to have an acre uv groun’ with it.” 

‘^And did you get it all for one hundred and 
fifteen dollars askt the widow, in amaze- 
ment. 

^^The deed’ll be ready tomorrow, an’ I’ll stop 
for the money right after noon,” turning Old 
Tom’s head again toward the road. 

^^Do you mean that the cost of the new roof 
and the glass is included in the one hundred 
and fifteen dollars, or will I have to pay for 
them besides?” 

‘^Just one hundred and fifteen dollars. — 
That’s ever’ dollar you’ll be out,” and Mr. Be- 
man moved nervously in his saddle, as he felt 
the perspiration coming out on his face, and 
emphatically wisht he were at home. 


BUYING A HOME 


39 


not quite sure that I fully understand/’ 
said the widow. ^‘It’s hard for me to get a 
business proposition in my head. [The old 
man thought to himself, ^^You’re cornin’ mighty 
blame near gettin’ this one”.] Does the one 
hundred and fifteen dollars pay the whole MU, 
and leave no debt at all on the property?” 

^^Ye — er — ^yessum. — Well, I must be goin’. 
Tom thinks it’s about dinner time. Good day, 
Missus Haley.” 

^^Good day. You don’t know how happy I 
feel to think we really have a little home all 
our own, and all paid for, and all fixed up so 
good, and all cost only one hundred and fifteen 
dollars,^’ and the widow returned to her house, 
her heart beating with more real happiness 
than it had known since the day her husband 
was laid in the grave. 

Nothing but her extreme happiness, almost 
rapture, prevented her noticing the discomfit- 
ure of the old man, occasioned by her repeated, 
pointed question. 

Mr. Beman rode a short distance, then took 


40 


DICK HALEY 


from his pocket a large red handkerchief, and, 
raising his hat, mopped his perspiring brow. 
He was undoubtedly perplexed and mortified. 
He began, as was usual with him under such 
conditions, muttering to himself; 

^‘Burned if I don’t b’lieve I lied! ^Yessum’ 
— ‘Yessum’ — ^Yessurn’ — that’s what I said. An’ 
she asked, ^Does one hundred an’ fifteen dol- 
lars pay the hull Mllf an’ I says, ^Yessum.’ — 
Well, it does, I jes giv Brighton the rest uv 
it. — No, that’s not so , — Doggone it, I lied; 
that’s all. But what else could I ’ave done? 
It’d broke her heart to ’ave told the truth. Now 
she’s happy to think she bought it all herself; 
— but blamed if I am ! Plague on the cur’osity 
uv a woman anyhow!” 


CHAPTER IV. 

DICK^S FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL. 

In spite of the reassurances of his mother, 
Dick started off to school that first morning 
with some misgivings. Tho full of animal life 
and possessed of exultant spirits, yet he had 
never been much from home and had associated 
but little with strangers, as a consequence of 
which he was of a timid, bashful disposition 
among them. 

His mother had given him the ‘^good-bye’^ 
kiss at the gate, where they had parted, and 
stood watching him as he went alone down the 
road. Occasionally he cast back over his 
shoulder a hesitating, longing look at his moth- 
er, at each repetition of which the latter felt 
her heart beat fuller with an increasing im- 


42 


DICK HALEY 


pulse to call the little fellow back for another 
embrace and another kiss. She had lookt for- 
ward to sending Dick to school only with pleas- 
ure, but now that the time and occasion had 
actually arrived there was a deep seriousness 
about it that she had never before even 
dreamed of. Somehow it seemed to her, as the 
distance widened between them, that she was 
being separated from her child, — that the close 
tie of affection and perfect confidence that had 
existed between her and her firstborn was be- 
ing severed, that she was sending him out into 
the world among strangers and friendless. 
Would the world be kind to her boy? Could 
it be cruel to such a poor, little, helpless, fa- 
therless child? Ah, no! She would dismiss all 
such doubts and fears. And then there was 
the teacher and the public school provided 
especially to take care of just such as he. — No, 
no ; she would dismiss the foolish thought. And 
SO as Dick disappeared over the little hill she 
turned from the gate, and returned to her 
washing. As she turned, she brusht a tear 


FIEST DAY AT SCHOOL 


43 


from her cheek. Was it merely a tear of moth- 
erly sympathy? Was it a tear of joy and pride 
that she was able to send her boy to school 
with the hope of a great life before him? Was 
it a tear of sorrow at the consciousness that 
the little fellow was so poorly — even shabbily 
— drest, and that she could do no better for 
him? Had something recalled the thought of 
her dead husband and her helpless fatherless 
children ? 

The Haley home was nearly a mile and a 
half from the school house, which was due 
north and on the straight main-traveled road. 
There could therefore be no danger of Dick^s 
missing his way ; and besides he had been past 
the school-house several times with his parents. 

Half a mile from the Haley home and on the 
opposite side of the road stood a beautiful 
stone mansion, which was to Dick an object 
of awe and wonder every time he saw it. It 
sat well back from the cross-roads at the sum- 
mit of a gently sloping mound, well shaded by a 
variety of tastily arranged and carefully kept 


44 


DICK HALEY 


trees. On either side of the cement walk 
running from the front door of the mansion 
to the road were flower beds and rose bushes 
and other shrubbery. Between two large ma- 
ple trees, whose branches closely blended over- 
head, swung an inviting hammock. It was the 
home of Dr. Wilson, a wealthy young physi- 
cian, who had inherited a fortune through his 
parents and another through his wife. His 
thoroughness of preparation for his profes- 
sion and exceptional force of character would 
have secured him a lucrative position in the 
city ; but he preferred a country residence, and 
had fitted him up a remarkably comfortable 
and beautiful home, with all modern conven- 
iences. 

Dick had just past the mansion, casting 
glances of wonder and admiration at its im- 
posing beauty and size, when Willie, the only 
child of Doctor and Mrs. Wilson, came out the 
door, turned, and kist his mamma, and then 
came tripping down the walk to the road. 
When he reacht the road he turned in the same 


FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL 


45 


direction Dick was going. Evidently he too 
was going to school. Altho the Haley home 
was but half a mile from Dr. Wilson’s, yet 
Dick had never met or spoken to Willie, tho 
he had occasionally seen him as either had 
past the home of the other. He had in reality 
stood somewhat in awe of the always richly 
drest little fellow. 

When Willie reacht the road, Dick was some 
distance ahead of him. Dick did not slacken his 
pace, tho he cast occasional glances back over 
his shoulder. He soon discovered that Willie 
had quickened his pace, and was gaining on 
him. A queer feeling came over Dick, such as 
he had never before quite experienced. He 
both dreaded and desired the meeting that now 
seemed certain. But his suspense was soon 
ended, for Willie broke into atrun, and quickly 
overtook him. 

^^Hello,” said Willie, as he ran up to Dick’s 
side. 

^^Howdy,” timidly answered Dick, glancing 
furtively at his new acquaintance. 


46 


DICK HALEY 


Willie lookt curiously at Dick for a moment, 
and then added, ‘‘Are you going to school 

Dick simply nodded. 

“Aincher pa dead?’^ 

Dick again nodded. 

“His name was Jim Haley, wasn’t it?” 

Dick repeated his assent. 

“I thought so. You live in the little house 
down the road, don’t you?” 

“Yes,” said Dick, at last finding courage to 
speak again. 

“Yevver gone to school before?” 

“No: ain’t been old enough,” answered Dick, 
his embarrassment yielding to the easy famib 
iarity of his companion. 

“I ain’t neither,” replied Willie, “we’ll go 
together.” 

Dick again nodded. 

“What y’got for dinner?” continued the lit' 
tie questioner. 

Dick hung his head, but made no answer. 

“Got any cookies?” 





Aincher pa dead? 
















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FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL 


47 


said Dick, feeling some of his embar- 
rassment coming back. 

^^Got any pie?’’ 

Dick shook his head in the negative. 

^^Got any apples?” 

^^No,” said Dick, ^^I’ve got just bread an’ 
butter an’ brown sugar an’ a egg.” 

^‘O, I’ve got cookies an’ pie an’ two great 
big apples. I’ll give you part of them when 
we go to eat dinner.” 

Dick made no answer, but walkt on in si- 
lence, trying to think of something he might 
give in return for this unexpected kindness. 
At last he said; 

^^Do you have a egg?” 

^^No,” replied his companion, ^^mamma was 
going to cook me one, but I didn’t want it.” 

Dick would gladly have given him anything 
he had, but he could not think of a thing 
that he dared offer. Soon however the little 
embarrassment was past, and the two children 
were talking freely as they approacht the 
school-house. 


48 


DICK HALEY 


One could not help noticing the great con- 
trast between the two as they walkt side by 
side along the road. And yet such wide ex- 
tremes are not uncommon under our demo- 
cratic American public school system. 

Willie was drest in a neat little factory- 
made suit of black. His little knee pants, his 
dainty shoes, his neatly fitting stockings, his 
blue silk tie, his little straw hat sitting on the 
back of his head and exposing the rich wavy 
black locks, his plump form and rosy cheeks, 
his sparkling eye, his quick intelligent expres- 
sion, all went toward attracting the attention 
of all whom he past. 

But Dick — what a contrast! On his head 
was an old straw hat, the rim torn off one side ; 
and the tapering crown, with a ragged hole at 
the top, resembled a small volcano that had 
only very recently ceased activity. His shirt 
was made of coarse material; and his pants 
(which gave Dick the appearance of having 
shrunk about one-half since they had been 
fitted to him) were made of a pair of his fa- 


FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL 


49 


ther’s old blue over-alls turned wrong side out. 
They were supported by a single suspender 
made of the same material. Dick’s face was 
as freckled as a turkey egg, his eyes were as 
blue as his pants, and his hair, which I think 
was intended to be brown, warmly declined 
every position except standing ; in fact, I think 
it had only ^^standing room.” 

It was twenty minutes until nine when they 
reacht the school grounds. A number of chil- 
dren of all school ages were standing or play- 
ing in the front yard. Nearly all turned to ob- 
serve the new arrivals. Several spoke to Wil- 
lie, but no one appeared to know Dick. They 
had nearly reacht the door when Sam Tur- 
pin, the fifteen-year-old bully of the school, 
shouted ; 

^^Hello, there, kid; where’d ye git that hat?” 

There was a general laugh. Dick realized 
that the taunt was intended for him, and for 
the first time in his life he felt the stinging 
shame of poverty, and his little heart quailed 
within him, and a sudden fear that he had 


50 


DICK HALEY 


never before known took possession of him. 
He followed close on the heels of Willie into 
the school-house. Miss Benson, the teacher, 
met them in the hall. 

^^Good morning, Willie,’’ she said, as she 
took his little clean white hand in hers, and 
then stoopt, and kist his rosy cheek. ^^Did 
you come all the way to school alone?” she 
added, as she took his little hat and hung it 
up, and set his dinner pail away. Dr. Wilson 
was one of the directors of the school, and 
Miss Benson was well acquainted with the 
family. 

^Wes, ma’am,” replied Willie, with admir- 
able grace. 

^^And who is this little boy?” inquired the 
teacher, turning to Dick. 

Dick managed, in spite of his embarrass- 
ment, to stammer out his name. 

am glad to see you, Dick,” she said, ex- 
tending her hand. 

Dick was holding his dinner pail in his 
right hand, and he reacht her the other. 


FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL 


51 


^^No; the other hand/’ she said, smiling. 

Dick awkwardly changed his bucket to his 
left hand, and reacht her his right. 

^^Just set your dinner pail there with the 
others, and hang your hat on one of those 
hooks,” she said, and turned to greet some 
other pupils that were just entering. 

Dick obeyed, but he kept wondering all the 
while why she didn’t kiss him, and put his 
bucket away, and hang his hat on the wall, 
as she did Willie’s. 

Willie entered the school room, and Dick 
followed falteringly. Half a dozen large girls 
were standing around the teacher’s desk when 
they entered. 

^^O, if there isn’t Willie,” exclaimed one, 
rushing toward him. In a moment the entire 
group had collected around him. 

^^Isn’t he sweet!” exclaimed another, en- 
thusiastically. 

They pickt him up and set him on the teach- 
er’s desk, and the admiring group stood round 
him, asking him questions, and laughing at 


52 


DICK HALEY 


his answers, and commenting on his different 
articles of dress. 

Dick was left standing entirely alone, no 
one paying the slightest attention to him. For 
a moment he was bewildered, not knowing 
what to do. He glanced at Willie in the cen- 
ter of the admiring, praising group, and then 
around the room. He noticed that the rear of 
the room was entirely empty, and he slipt 
back, and climbed up on the seat next the win- 
dow that opened toward his home, and turned 
his face toward the window. He had never 
felt so lonesome in all his life before, and there 
was a sickening sensation of despair that 
seemed to seize him, and that he could neither 
overcome nor understand. With the extremest 
effort he kept from crying, for he felt it would 
have been an unpardonable fault to have 
broken down and cried there. 

The bell rang and the teacher entered 
the room. She patted Willie lovingly on the 
cheek as she set him down off her desk. — Ah, 
how such a pat would have raised poor Dick’s 


FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL 


53 


spirits! — Miss Benson at once set about or- 
ganizing the classes, and assigning the pupils 
their work for the day. Dick’s class was 
called, and he went forward timidly. He had 
become painfully conscious of himself, which 
only served to add to his awkwardness. To 
augment his misery he had become conscious 
that he was not so well drest as most of the 
others, and that he was attracting the atten- 
tion and gaze of more than any other. Dick 
tried hard to understand the teacher’s instruc- 
tions to the class, but he was so confused, em- 
barrassed and miserable that he could not re- 
member a thing she said. 

At last came the noon hour, and the school 
was dismist for dinner and play. The children 
sprang from their seats in delight and rapture. 
Brothers and sisters and particular friends 
and ^^chums” gathered here and there in little 
groups, discussing the place of eating dinner. 
Nearly all the children of Dick’s size had old- 
er brothers and sisters, and the rest appar- 
ently had close friends. In a few minutes the 


54 


DICK HALEY 


room was entirely empty of occupants save 
Dick alone, who had not moved from his seat. 
The teacher, who boarded at a home not more 
than three hundred paces from the school 
house, had hastened to her dinner, in order to 
be back by the time the children had finisht 
their noon meal, and were ready to play. Dick 
sat there a few minutes, and then slipt off the 
seat, and went shyly into the hall. There sat 
his dinner pail alone. He pickt it up, and his 
first thought was to return into the room to 
eat. Then fearing to act differently from the 
others, and remembering his mother’s advice, 
he stept out of the door into the yard. He 
lookt about him like a frightened animal. 
In the shade of each of the large trees in the 
front yard were little groups of children, eat- 
ing their dinners. He noticed Willie eating 
his dinner in the company of some of the large 
girls under the spreading branches of a great 
red elm, which grew directly in front of the 
school house. Dick felt an overmastering 
longing to get away from them all, and he de- 


FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL 


55 


termined to seek a place where he might eat 
his dinner alone. He started around the cor- 
ner of the house, hoping he might escape un- 
noticed, when the same cruel taunt that had 
greeted his arrival in the morning broke on his 
startled ear; 

^Where^d ye git that hat?” There was a 
general laugh, as the pupils lookt up from the 
various groups. 

‘^Bet he stole it from some millionaire,” 
shouted one of the younger boys from another 
group, and again the crowd laught. 

^^Bet he swopt his other suspender for it,” 
shouted another, and they laught louder and 
longer than ever. 

Dick hung his head, and walkt on around 
behind the house, out of sight of the taunting 
groups. An arrow would scarcely have pierced 
with more pain than did those cruel taunts 
his already sore little heart. Just back of the 
house was a row of thick hedge, and he 
made his way toward it, and crept around be- 
hind it. He was entirely hidden from all, and 


56 


DICK HALEY 


he sat down beside his bucket and opened it. 
But he could not eat. He had no appetite, 
and the sight of the dinner his mother had 
prepared brought suddenly and vividly before 
him the picture of his home and little brother 
and sister and mother. It was more than Dick 
could bear, and in spite of his bravest efforts 
sob after sob shook his little form, and he 
poured out his misery in tears. He was seized 
of an almost irresistible longing for home, but 
he felt that his mother would not want him 
to come home before school was out, and then 
he did not know what horrible punishment 
might befall him for leaving school without 
permission, — and he had not the courage to 
ask permission. 

The bell rang, and Dick knew he must go 
back into the school-house. He rose, and wiped 
the tears from his eyes and face with first one 
sleeve and then the other. He dreaded ap- 
proaching the pupils; but he might have 
spared himself this dread, for they were all 
too much absorbed in other things to pay any 


FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL 


57 


attention to him. As he came round the cor- 
ner of the house to the front, he saw Willie 
standing somewhat apart from the rest, appar- 
ently looking for some one. As soon as his 
eyes rested on Dick, he ran up to him. He had 
not forgotten hisi promise, and had been look- 
ing for him for some little time. As he came 
up to Dick, he took from his pocket a fine 
large red apple, and held it out toward him. 
Dick shook his head. 

^^Don’t you want it?’’ askt Willie, in sur- 
prise. 

Dick again shook his head. Willie lookt at 
his sad, tear-stained face in wonder and sur- 
prise. He could not imagine anything that 
could mar the perfect happiness of the first 
day at school. What a delightful day it had 
been for him! How many pleasant things he 
would have to tell his mamma when he got 
home that evening! 

The afternoon dragged along slowly and 
wearily to Dick. He managed by almost des- 
perate efforts to keep from crying. When 


58 


DICK HALEY 


school was out, he was the first out of the 
house, and started toward home alone. He 
could not walk fast enough. He ran part of 
the way home. Every step toward home 
seemed to lighten the burden on his heart, and 
as he entered his home all his troubles seemed 
to vanish. He had never before in all his life 
enjoyed his home so well. 


CHAPTER V. 


DICK^S SECOND DAY AT SCHOOL. 

Dick seemed so happy on his return from 
kis first day at school that Mrs. Haley never 
suspected the troubles he had experienced. 

^‘Did my little man have a nice time at 
school today?’’ askt the mother, as she greeted 
him at the humble door with a kiss, and then 
before Dick had time to answer, she continued ; 
^‘Did you go all the way to school alone?” 

^‘No; Willie went with me.” 

^Willie who?” 

^^Don’t know, only jes Willie ’at lives in the 
stone house.” 

Doctor Wilson’s little boy?” 

^^Don’ know, only jes Willie, an’ he lives in 
the stone house, an’ he come out’s I’s goin’ 


60 


DICK HALEY 


by, an’ he said, ^Aincher pa dead, an’ don’t ye 
live in this house?’ an’ I said, ^Yes’; an’ he 
said it was the first time he’d ever went to 
school, an’ he askt me’f it wus the first time 
I’d ever went to school, an’ I said, ^Yes’; an’ 
he give me a great big red apple, but I wouldn’t 
take it.” 

A few more questions were askt and an- 
swered, and Dick ran out to join Freddie and 
Ester, and was soon absorbed in building the 
latter a play-house. 

Mrs. Haley turned from the door, and pickt 
up Dick’s dinner pail to wash it and put it 
away until the morrow. She was surprised to 
find it so heavy, for she expected little if any 
of the food she had sent to be returned, as 
Dick usually had all the appetite belonging 
to a healthy child of six. When she lifted the 
lid, and found the entire dinner untouched, 
she was still more surprised and puzzled. She 
remembered too that Dick had told her he had 
refused the apple offered by Willie Wilson. 
What could it mean? Had he misunderstood 


SECOND DAY AT SCHOOL 


61 


in some way, and eaten his dinner with some 
other of the pupils? Or had he still further 
misunderstood, and thought he should not eat 
at school at all? Had the child had nothing 
to eat since morning? Mrs. Haley dropt the 
lid of the pail, and stept quickly to the door. 

“Dick,’’ she called, “come here a minute.” 

Dick left his play, and ran to her. 

“You didn’t eat your dinner, Dick,” she 
said, looking into the upturned, expectant 
face. Dick’s face flusht, and he dropt his eyes 
to the ground. — How quickly does a true 
mother’s heart respond to every sentiment of 
her child! No word of Dick’s could have told 
her more distinctly that something was wrong. 
What could it be? Mrs. Haley sat down on 
the door-step, and drew the child to her. 

“Why didn’t you eat your dinner, dear?” 
she askt, pushing the stubborn locks back 
from the little freckled forehead. 

“Didn’t want any,” he replied, confused. 

“Haven’t you had anything to eat all day?” 
and she drew him closer. 


62 


DICK HALEY 


^^Didn’t want anything,” protested Dick. 

^^Are you hungry now?” 

^^Not much.” 

^^Do you want a piece?” 

Dick shook his head. 

^‘All right; run on and play; and I will 
hurry supper,” and she kist him as she let 
him go. 

Dick^s supper needed no apology. It was 
complete. He was ravenously hungry. He 
slept soundly and sweetly. He awoke at the 
rattle of dishes, and the sun was pouring a 
rich flood of light into the room. A mocking 
bird was singing from the top of the old peach- 
tree in the back yard. The whole universe 
seemed filled with the brightness of the one 
and the melody of the other. Dick^s soul 
thrilled in harmony with them both and the 
prospects of another day. 

^^Good morning, Dick,” said the cheerful 
voice of his mother, as she noticed that Dick 
was awake. ^^Do you hear our mocking-bird 
again ?” 


SECOND DAY AT SCHOOL 


63 


^^Yes; may be it^s goin’ t’ make its nest 
there.’’ 

^^May be. Now you will have to hurry, Dick, 
and dress, and get breakfast, and get ready 
for school.” 

Get ready for school ! — The very word 
swept like a blight over the bursting foliage 
of Dick’s morning prospects. The thrill of 
his soul died within him. The brightness of 
the sunshine became a shadow ; and the sweet- 
ness of the bird-song, an empty, mocking blare. 
And yet much as Dick dreaded another day at 
school, he dreaded scarcely less telling his 
mother he did not want to go. After break- 
fast he remained gloomily in the house. He 
was trying to muster up courage to speak. 
Occasionally he lookt up with a determina- 
tion to speak, but at sight of his mother’s 
sweet, hopeful face, his determination about- 
faced, and his courage fled like a coward. His 
dinner was nearly ready, and he knew there 
was but a moment more to act. He rmist 
speak. He walkt up close to his mother’s side. 


64 


DICK HALEY 


hung his head a moment, then lookt up resO' 
lutely, and said; 

^^Ma, I don’t want to go to school today.” 

^What!” exclaimed his mother, turning in 
genuine surprise toward him, and holding in 
one hand the piece of bread she was buttering, 
and in the other the knife, ^^don’t want to go 
to school?’^ 

But Dick’s eyes were filled with tears, and 
Mrs. Haley laid down the bread and knife, 
and sat down in a chair, and turned her eyes, 
tender with love, full on the face of her child. 

^^Come here, Dick, and let me tell you some- 
thing,” she said, reaching out, and taking his 
little chubby hand in hers, and drawing him 
toward her. ^^Did any body treat my little 
boy bad yesterday? I know the teacher was 
good to you, wasn’t she?” 

Dick assented with his characteristic nod, 
tho it was not so emphatic as it usually was. 

^^Now, Dick, listen ; and I will tell you why 
I want you to go to school. If you go to school 
now and study, and get your lessons, after 


SECOND DAY AT SCHOOL 


65 


awhile you will get to be a good scholar so 
that you can teach school or clerk in a store, 
or something like that, and you will get money 
for it; and then when you get to be a man 
you can buy a nice home and horse and buggy 
and nice books. After awhile ma will be 
old, and she can’t work like she does now, 
and then you can have a nice home for her, and 
you can buy dresses for sister and books and 
clothes for brother. — Now, won’t that be nice?” 

^^An’ then — an’ then you won’t have to take 
in washin’, will you, ma?” exclaimed Dick, 
enthusiastically, wiping the tears out of his 
honest blue eyes. 

Dick’s dinner was prepared and handed to 
him, but he hesitated on the threshold. The 
quick eye of his mother detected the same 
cloud shadowing again the childish face; and, 
with a mother’s quick wit, she said ; 

‘‘Listen, Dick; I’ve just thought of something 
nice for you. The flowers are out along the road- 
side. Teachers love flowers and little boys that 
gather them for them. You can gather a nice 


66 


DICK HALEY 


boquet for your teacher as you go to school. 
She’ll think it’s just awful nice, and be so 
glad to get it. Wait until I find you a string 
to tie it with,” and she hunted him out a 
clean calico string, and handed it to him. 

Dick started off in a delightful mood. His 
interest in gathering the flowers and the pros- 
pect of pleasing his teacher had dispelled all 
the clouds, and opened again the windows of 
his soul, and let in a golden flood of hopeful 
sunshine. Dick darted here and there, wher- 
ever he chanced to see a blood-root, a dande- 
lion, a daisy, or a sipring beauty. He had 
passed Willie’s home some distance, when, as 
he turned to secure a beautiful blue violet, he 
saw Willie coming. 

^^Hello,” said the latter, running up, his 
charming child-voice giving to the word of 
salutation that significant, rising inflection — 
the best guaranty of confidence and friend- 
ship. 

^^Howdy ; I’m gatherin’ flowers for the teach- 
er,” responded Dick. 


SECOND DAY AT SCHOOL 


6T 


^^Are you? I’m goin’ to give this to her, 
too,” replied Willie, holding up a beautiful 
little boquet of early yellow and red roses, 
tied with a white ribbon. ^^I’ll carry your 
bucket while you gather the flowers ’f you want 
me to.” 

Dick gratefully handed his bucket to Wil- 
lie. He was greatly relieved at finding that 
Willie had a boquet for the teacher, for he 
had just been wondering how he should pre- 
sent his flowers, — and now he would only have 
to watch Willie, and do as he did. 

The two chatted earnestly, and often ex- 
citedly, as they proceeded on their way. By 
the time they had reacht the school-house, 
Dick had gathered a great double handful of 
wild-flowers. He stopt on the steps to tie 
them. Willie waited for him. Then he fol- 
lowed Willie into the room. Willie handed his 
boquet to the teacher. 

^What a lovely boquet! Thank you, Wil- 
lie,” exclaimed Miss Benson as she took the 
pretty little bunch of roses from Willie’s hand. 


68 


DICK HALEY 


She lifted the roses to her nose. ^^How sweet! 
This is so nice. I’ll have to wear it to-day.” 
And she took a pin from the little cushion on 
her desk (Miss Benson kept everything in al- 
most faultless order, and seemed to have 
everything she needed just where she wanted 
it), and began pinning the boquet on her 
bosom. 

Dick walkt up bashfully, and offered his 
great bunch of wild flowers. 

^^Thank you,” she said, as, with an artificial 
smile, she took the flowers with one hand 
(as she held Willie’s boquet in place with the 
other), and laid them on the table, and then 
finisht pinning the roses on her breast. 

Mrs. Haley was of Scotch descent, and Dick 
had inherited, along with that awkward, good- 
natured, Irish bluntness, a delicate responsive 
sensitiveness, that in the higher walks of life 
would have been a valuable mark of distinc- 
tion, but in the lower walks of poverty, which 
it was Dick’s lot to tread, only a source of pain 
and disappointment. The toil of gathering the 


SECOND DAY AT SCHOOL 


69 


flowers had been only a pleasure to him, for 
he was stimulated with the fond expectation 
that his teacher would be delighted with them, 
and he had (half uncoinsciously) measured 
that delight by the size of the collection of 
flowers. The words of his mother, ‘Teachers 
love flowers and little boys that gather them 
for them,’’ had been ringing in his ears all the 
way from home; and when Miss Benson took 
the bunch of flowers from his hand — the re- 
sult of all his toil, the foundation of all his 
hope — and with a simple, “Thank you,” and 
an artificial smile (the discernment of which 
was all too plain to the clear, sensitive vision 
of a child like Dick), and carelessly laid them 
on the table — well, it was more than the sen- 
sitive nature of the child could bear. He 
turned, and walkt to the back of the room, and 
climbed up on his knees in the seat, with his 
face toward the window. He sat very quiet 
for a little while; then his chin and lips quiv- 
ered; and every now and then a little checkt 
sleeve was drawn across his face. — Ah, teach- 


70 


DICK HALEY 


er, why didn’t you wear some of poor Dick’s 
flowers? They wouldn’t have soiled your 
pretty dress. I know it was a great awkward 
bundle of wild flowers, but couldn’t you have 
pickt out a few of the prettiest, and pinned them 
on your bosom? 1 know the string with 
which they were tied was soiled, but Dick’s 
hands were sweating with the toil of gather- 
ing them for you when he got to school. I 
know the stems were of different lengths, but 
couldn’t you have trimmed them? I know 
the knot was ugly and bunglesome, but you 
couldn’t expect poor little Dick to tie as pret- 
ty a bow as could Willie’s mamma. When 
you laid that bunch of wild flowers carelessly 
on the table, you laid the child’s heart there 
too. Had you pinned some of the flowers on 
your breast, you would have drawn as much 
closer to your own heart the heart of the child. 
— In one brief moment you could have changed 
Dick’s whole life. — In one brief moment you 
did change his whole life. 

The sin (if sin there be) consisted not in 


SECOND DAY AT SCHOOL 


71 


Miss Benson’s manner of receiving and dis- 
posing of the flowers, not in the ^^artiflcial 
smile”, for in all this she acted honestly — 
true to herself; but the real crime consists in 
one’s entering the teachers’ profession, whose 
heart does not beat in full sympathy with ev- 
ery heart-throb of the humblest child under 
her charge and care. 

When school was out, as Dick left the 
room, he involuntarily glanced at the bundle 
of flowers, now wilted, still lying on the teach- 
er’s desk. How ugly and mean they lookt! 
He felt a sickening sensation about his heart, 
and a desire to rush to the desk, seize the 
hated thing, and tear it to pieces, and scatter 
it to the winds. 


CHAPTER VI. 

GLIMPSES OF SCHOOL LIFE. 

THE PLAY GROUND. 

‘^Run, Turkey, run!^’ — ‘^Look out, er ye’ll 
bust yer s’spender!” — “Don’t jump out o’ yer 
pants!” — “Git out uv the road fur the straw- 
stack !” 

Had a stranger happened to be passing, and 
paused to watch the noonday play, he would 
have discovered that all these taunts, coming 
from as many different mouths, each taunt ap- 
plauded by outbursts of laughter, were occa- 
sioned by a little bare-footed boy, his roomy, 
blue over-alls supported by a single suspender, 
his head and shoulders quite hidden by a rag- 
ged old straw hat, trying to make a “through 
run” in a game of “Blackman”. The stranger 


74 


DICK HALEY 


might have seen only the ludicrousness of the 
situation, or caught the hilarious spirit of the 
jeering crowd, and leaned back in his buggy, 
and indulged himself in an uproarious fit of 
laughter. Another observer might have seen 
only the small occasion for so great a demon- 
stration, and lookt on in wonder and amaze- 
ment. Yet another might have seen only the 
cruelty of the persecution of a helpless child, 
and burned with a desire to punish the offen- 
ders. But had the great Master Teacher of 
Nazareth past by, and paused to look on the 
scene, would not He have seen in the little 
form beneath that sloucht hat one of whom 
He had once said; ^^Of such is the kingdom of 
heaven^’? Would not He who had said, ^Tn- 
asmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least 
of these, ye have done it unto me,” have felt in 
His own heart the sharp pain of every cruel 
taunt and jeer and jest hurled at the little 
child who was trying his best to play his dif- 
ficult part in life? — After all, we all see 
through our hearts more than through our 


GLIMPSES OF SCHOOL LIFE 75 


eyes; and what one sees is a better index of 
the heart of the observer than description of 
the thing observed. 

It was the middle of the term, and Dick was 
becoming somewhat accustomed to the treat- 
ment accorded to him. Nevertheless his life 
was a terrible struggle, especially on such oc- 
casions as this, when he tried with all his 
might to bear up under the thoughtless — ^yet 
none the less cruel — reminders of his poverty 
and orphanage and homeliness. Sometimes he 
would succeed. At other times the load was 
too heavy for his unhardened child heart, and 
he would give up in despair, and slip away 
from the game back into the school-house, 
alone, — save that the teacher was usually at 
her desk. The teacher had come to consider 
him a drone, and paid little attention to him. 
— Ah, teacher, Dick wouldn’t be a drone, if he 
didn’t have a drone for a teacher. — As I record 
these scenes, my imagination carries me back 
again to those days, now (with their opportu- 
nities) forever gone; and I see Dick sitting, 


76 


DICK HALEY 


as he sat so often then, alone in the school- 
house at noon, looking out sadly, gloomily, de- 
spairingly, through the window, at the happy 
children at play, wishing that he might have 
a part in the games, catching glimpses of his 
happy little play-fellow, darting here and 
there, followed by the admiring eyes of his 
school-mates, and wondering what makes the 
difference between himself and winning Willie 
Wilson. And there sits Miss Benson, sorting pa- 
pers, examining her register, or arranging her 
afternoon’s work. As Dick enters the room she 
looks up from her work, and seeing who it is, 
a frown clouds her pretty face, and she turns 
again to her work. Occasionally she casts a 
quick glance at the child, but recalls it with a 
look of disgust. — O, Miss Benson, Miss Ben- 
son, if I could but speed backward — backward 
— backward, as my imagination does today, — > 
if I could but touch your heart with a live coal 
from off the altar of true child-love, that the 
frown might be chased from your face by the 
sunlight of friendship for those who most need 


OLIMPSES OF SCHOOL LIFE 77 


it, and the disgust washt away by a tear of 
sympathy, — if you would but cast aside your 
register or papers or work for a moment, and go 
back, and sit down beside that poor little father- 
less, friendless child, and put your warm arm 
around him, and take his little hand in yours, 
and let your full heart overflow in one kind 
word of love and sympathy — ah! my whole 
story would have been changed, for — you would 
thusi have changed a whole life. How many 
mother’s tears you would thus have fore- 
stalled ! How many heartaches you would have 
saved! How many bitter lives you could have 
sweetened! At least three death-pillows you 
could have softened, three death-beds you 
could have smoothed. — But no; we cannot go 
back and change it now. The gates of the Past 
are barred; and the Future holds no key that 
will turn the lock. Miss Benson sleeps in the 
little country grave yard on the hill, a mile 
from the old school site. The snows of many 
winters have fallen upon her resting place, 
and the flowers of many summers — wild flow- 


78 


DICK HALEY 


ers, like those Dick gathered for her^ — have 
deckt the silent mound. Dick — but I must go 
back and pick up again the thread of the story 
of his life, and tell it in its order. 

THE FIGHT ON THE SCHOOL GROUNDS. 

There is another incident in this period of 
Dick’s school life that I must not pass without 
notice, as it had an effect upon the story of his 
life. Sam Turpin, the bully, was Dick’s most 
dreaded enemy. He never missed an opportu- 
nity to tease and torment the friendless child. 
Dick was almost mortally afraid of him. Sam, 
as I think I have already said, was fifteen 
years old. He was a bullet-headed, close and 
strongly built boasting braggart, with rather 
low but broad forehead, head bulging between 
the ears, thick nose and full lips. In all my 
observation as a teacher and as a pupil I think 
I never knew a more complete and perfect em- 
bodiment of what we term the ^^bully”. Tho, 
in common with his class, he was void of moral 
courage, yet from the animal standpoint he 


GLIMPSES OF SCHOOL LIFE 79 


was no coward, but excelled alike in physical 
strength and physical courage. He was heart- 
less, and the sole standard by which he ap- 
peared to measure his own enjoyment was the 
misery and suffering of his victim. He had a 
particular spite and pick at Dick, and Dick 
avoided him almost as he would have shunned 
a serpent. 

One day Dick was quietly observing a game 
of mumbly-peg, when Sam, unobserved by him, 
walkt up. 

^^Hello, Turkey-egg, said the bully, rudely 
shoving Dick’s hat over on one side of his 
head; ^Vhen’r ye goin’ ter plant the seed o’ 
yer hat?” 

Dick shuddered at the touch of his tormen- 
tor, timidly pulled his hat back to its place, 
but did not look up. 

^Why don’t ye wash the brand off uv yer 
face?” continued the heartless questioner, 
rudely pulling up the drooping front brim of 
Dick’s hat, and at the same time forcing his 
head back so as to bring his freckled face fully 


80 


DICK HALEY 


to the view of those standing around. Of 
course the boys, especially the younger ones, 
laught loudly and rudely at the cruel, blunt 
jokes of the bully. On account of his freckles, 
Dick had received the nick name, first suggest- 
ed and urged by Sam, of ^^Turkey-egg’^ How 
often had Dick stood before the little looking- 
glass at his home, and washt and rubbed, and 
wisht those great ugly freckles would come off, 
but they wouldn^t. 

^^Say, kid, w’y didn't ye cut another slice off 
uv yer pants, an’ make ye another s’spender ?” 
he continued, giving Dick’s only trousers-sup- 
port a jerk that endangered both the suspender 
and the button. ^^Hol’ on yeer,” he said, rough- 
ly jerking Dick, who had tried to pull away 
from him, back towards him. ^^How many 
pairs o’ pants did yer dad will ye w’en ’e 
died?” and Sam took hold of the leg of Dick’s 
capacious trousers, and gave them a jerk. Dick 
again tried to pull away, but was held fast. 
^W’at ye got in yer pocket?” and Sam thrust 
his hand down into Dick’s loose trousers pock- 


GLIMPSES OF SCHOOL LIFE 81 


et, and brought up a little ten-cent boy’s pocket 
knife. 

With a pleading gesture and look, Dick 
reacht up for the knife. It had been given him 
by old Mr. Beman. It was about the only real 
luxury Dick had ever enjoyed, and he prized 
it highly. 

^^Ho ! ho ! ho ! ho ! Say, kid, don’ ye know it’s 
agin the law t’ carry weepins like that? An’ 
then it’s dang’rus too — ^ye might fall down on 
it, an’ brake it,” and with that the young bully 
threw the knife as far as he could. With eager 
eyes Dick watcht the precious treasure until it 
struck the ground at the other end of the yard, 
and then ran as fast as he could to the spot, 
pickt it up, and put it fondly into his pocket. 
He walkt back near the group of children, but 
stopt some distance from his tormentor. 

^^Come yeer,” called the bully. Dick hesi- 
tated. “Come yeer, I tell ye!” he shouted. 
Dick feared to obey, but feared more not to, 
and so he walkt over to him. “Gimme that 
knife.” Again Dick hesitated. “Give it yeer, 


82 


DICK HALEY 


I say/’ he thundered, seizing Dick by the shoul- 
der. Dick drew the precious article from his 
pocket, and handed it over, looking longingly 
at it as Sam took it from his hand. Sam made 
a motion as of throwing it with all his might 
far over the top of the school-house. Dick 
turned quickly in the direction in which it ap- 
peared to have been cast, vainly trying to catch 
a glimpse of it as it flew through the air; but 
he could see nothing. Then in terror he turned 
quickly to Sam again, and, seeing that he had 
a hand behind him, forgot his fear in his anx- 
iety over the lost property, and rusht toward 
him, exclaiming; 

^^Gimme my knife.” 

^^Git out,” said the bully, pushing the little 
beggar roughly from him, ain’t gotcher 

knife.” 

‘What’d ye do with it?” pleaded the child, 
excitedly. 

^Throwed the d — n thing away; — w’at ye 
reckon ?” 

Dick stood a moment looking in bewildered 


GLIMPSES OF SCHOOL LIFE 83 


horror at the pitiless face of the bully, and 
then burst out crying. Sam was in the very 
height of his enjoyment. Suddenly he felt the 
knife snatched from his hand by some one be- 
hind him, and at almost the same instant he 
heard the voice of Henry True ; 

^^Here^s your knife, Dick,’’ and he cast the 
knife at the feet of the delighted child. Henry 
True was the exact opposite of Sam Turpin, a 
year older, half a head taller, but scarcely 
heavier. He was upright, kind-hearted and 
true, a leader in his classes, and respected by 
all that knew him. He was the oldest boy in 
the school, and had never during his school 
life had a serious difficulty with any of his 
school-fellows. 

Sam turned like an infuriated beast; and, 
seeing who it was had dared to meddle in 
his affairs, his face flusht with rage, and his 
eyes flasht, as with a voice gutteral with anger 
he askt; 

^What the d — 1 d’ye do that fur?” 

^‘Because I hate to see a little child run 


84 


DICK HALEY 


over/^ calmly replied Henry, looking the bully 
firmly in the eye, his face white, but deter- 
mined. 

‘‘ ^Hate t’ see a chiP run over !’ ’’ Sam fairly 
hist; ‘^d — n ye, IVe a notion t’make ye git the 
knife, an’ give it back to me.” 

^^Then you’ve a notion to do something you 
can’t do,” replied the other, as calmly as be- 
fore. 

can’t, eh?” Sam almost yelled in his fury, 
as he thrust his tightly clenched fist into 
Henry’s face. 

Henry stept slightly backward, at the same 
time thrusting Sam’s fist aside. Quick as a 
fiash, Sam struck out with his other hand with 
all his might. Henry knew too well his antag- 
onist to have been off his guard at such a mo- 
ment; and he evaded the blow from Sam, at 
the same time sending his own right fist 
straight to the face of the bully, with stinging 
effect. The preliminaries of the fight were 
over, and the remainder of the combat would 
beggar analysis, for they were fighting with 


GLIMPSES OF SCHOOL LIFE 85 


the fury of a cyclone. Henry had the advan- 
tage of height and a longer reach of arm, while 
Sam had decidedly the advantage of strength 
and experience; but for all this, he quickly 
became conscious that in a ‘^straight fist-fight” 
he was at best barely a match for his oppo- 
nent. Sam duckt his head, and rusht ; and the 
two boys clincht. They went to the ground, 
struggling and fighting furiously. Sam was 
on top. Henry was still fighting hard, but 
clearly Sam was gaining every advantage. 
Twice he gript Henryks throat, and twice Hen- 
ry tore his hand away. The third time he 
seized him by the throat, and Henry was un- 
able to break his grip. 

Dick had watched the fight from the first 
blow with the deepest interest and anxiety. 
He well understood the cause of the fight, and 
the advantage Sam Turpin now had was very 
clear to him. At the beginning of the fight a 
part of the girls had run to the school-house to 
report to the teacher. The remainder of the 
pupils had gathered in a circle around the 


86 


DICK HALEY 


struggling combatants. They were far too 
much absorbed in the fight to notice anything 
else. When Dick saw the advantage Sam had 
over his friend, he turned from the group of 
spectators, lookt about for a weapon, saw 
the ball-bat, ran to it, and picked it up, rusht 
back into the midst of the circle of spectators, 
and before any one had time to realize what 
was happening struck Sam Turpin across the 
head with all his might. The stunning blow 
knockt Sam backward, he lost his grip on the 
throat of his antagonist, and the combatants 
both sprang to their feet. Almost blind with 
fury, Sam rusht at Dick, and with a hard kick 
with his heavy shoe in the pit of his stomach 
sent the child rolling on the ground, gasping 
for breath. Half insane with rage, he rusht 
again at the helpless child. Henry, catching 
up the bat that fell from Dick’s hands, sprang 
in front of Sam. For an instant the bully 
stood glaring at his enemy. Another step, and 
he would have felt no child’s blow from the 
heavy bat. 



He struck Sam Turpin across the head ivith all his might 





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GLIMPSES OF SCHOOL LIFE 87 


^^Sam! Henry!” It was the voice of Miss 
Benson, who had just reacht the spot. 

Sam, sullen and scowling, turned his eyes 
toward her. Henry lowered the bat to the 
ground. 

^^Go into the school-house,” said the teacher, 
firmly. The boys obeyed. 

Dick, regaining his breath, followed the oth- 
er pupils into the house, a multitude of 
thoughts, feelings, sentiments crowding and 
jostling one another in his disturbed mind. 








CHAPTER VII. 

DEATH^S SHADOW ON THE THRESHOLD. 

It was Dick^s second spring at school. The 
children were on the play-ground at noon. A 
buggy came dashing down the road, and the 
driver drew rein, and stopt his team, wet with 
sweat and panting, just on the outskirts of 
the play ground. 

^‘Come here, Dick, quick!’’ he shouted. It 
was Mr. Beman’s hired man. He was excited. 
It was very evident that there was cause for 
quick action. Dick, knowing the man well, 
ran to the buggy. The games of the children 
stopt, and they all turned in wonder toward 
the man and buggy. 

‘‘Jump in quick,” said the driver, catching 
the child by the arm, and lifting him into the 


90 


DICK HALEY 


seat beside himself. A sharp whistle, and the 
spirited horses dasht away. 

“What’s the matter?” falteringly askt Dick, 
bewildered. 

“Freddie got bit with a rattlesnake,” re- 
plied the driver. 

A thousand impressions and thoughts were 
flashing across the child’s excited imagination. 
A hundred things he wanted to ask, but he 
couldn’t frame a question. He began crying. 

“Don’t cry, Dick; mebby he won’t die,” said 
the kindhearted driver, toucht by the sorrow 
of the child. 

Mehhy he won’t die ! — Like a cruel hand the 
words seemed to clutch the child’s heart. Then 
his little brother was about to die? Death has 
its horrors for every child of the age of Dick, 
and it had had special horrors for him since 
he had seen his father speechless and lifeless 
in its relentless grasp. But now to think of 
little Freddie lying cold and silent — Ah! the 
vision flasht across his lively imagination — 
he saw the lifeless form, and sobbed aloud. The 


DEATH’S SHADOW 


91 


man at his side tried to comfort him, but in 
vain. 

^^Don’t cry, Dick; we’ll soon be there. — Go 
on, boys.” He gave the horses more rein, and 
they broke from a swift trot into a gallop. 

They had reacht the top of the little hill, and 
Dick’s home was in clear sight, less than a 
quarter of a mile ahead. The driver leaned 
eagerly forward, and peered over the backs of 
his galloping horses to catch any sign or sig- 
nal. His quick eye recognized old Mr. Beman 
himself standing in the road in front of the 
house. He was waving his hand. Was it a 
signal that it was too late, and there was no 
use of racing the hot horses more; or did it 
mean that the race was not yet lost, and he 
must drive faster? The driver rose from his 
seat, and stood upright in the swaying buggy. 
Ah — it was a signal forward — forward, and 
meant faster. The driver dropt into the seat; 
and, leaning forward, with his arms stretcht 
at full length over the dashboard, he gave the 


92 


DICK HALEY 


horses full rein, as he shouted in their ears, 
with excited voice, ^^Go on, boys!’’ 

The buggy fairly flew down the slight in- 
cline; and they dasht up to the gate at the lit- 
tle home. Dick felt himself lifted into the air 
by the strong arm of the driver, and Mr. Be- 
man caught him before the team had stopt. 
The hired man knew from the deeply concerned 
look on his master’s face that the race had 
been close; but not a word was spoken. The 
old man led the child rapidly toward the house. 
In his confused excitement, Dick had husht 
his crying; but now through the rumble of 
voices, as they approacht the house, moan after 
moan broke upon his ear. He knew it must be 
little Freddie, and he could no longer restrain 
himself, but began crying aloud. 

^^Don’t cry, Dick, my boy,” said the old man, 
as he claspt Dick’s hand tighter, and hastened 
forward. But if Dick could have seen through 
his own tears he might have seen tears in the 
eyes of the kindly face that was turned toward 
him. 


DEATH’S SHADOW 


93 


^^Here ’e is, Missus Haley,” said Mr. Beman, 
lifting Dick in at the door. 

There was a sudden movement in the room. 
Those of the little group next the door stept 
aside to make room for the child to pass among 
them. Mrs. Haley, turning from the bed and 
rushing to Dick, put her arms around him, 
and led him quickly to the bed-side. Dr. Wil- 
son stept back to make room for the child. 

^Treddie, Freddie, sweet baby, here’s Dick 
— ^here’s Dick,” impassionately pleaded the 
mother, but the little sufferer did not heed. 
He was lying with wide-open eyes staring at 
the ceiling, his lips parted, his face flusht, and 
every breath a moan. ‘^Mamma’s own dar- 
ling,” she added, gently stroking the flusht 
cheek; but there was no response of recogni- 
tion. With one arm still about Dick, Mrs. 
Haley dropt on her knees at the bed-side; 

God,” she cried, with up-turned face and 
streaming eyes, her impassioned voice thrill- 
ing with anguish, and trembling with emotion, 
^^spare my child, — if — if it be — thy — ^will.” 


94 


DICK HALEY 


Every eye in the little room filled with tears 
of sympathy. Suddenly Mrs. Haley turned 
toward the doctor; 

^^Is there no hope, Doctor? Is there nothing 
more that you can do?^’ 

‘^I have done everything I can, Mrs. Haley,’’ 
answered the doctor, earnestly. 

I wish you could do something more for 
him. Doctor; how can I give him up!” 

^‘You wish it scarcely more than I do, Mrs. 
Haley,” said the doctor, in a husky voice. 

^^How much longer can he live. Doctor?” 
almost pleadingly askt the mother. 

Dr. Wilson stept again to the side of the 
child, and took the little wrist in his experi- 
enced hand, at the same time studying closely 
the face of the little patient. Then, turning 
his face, pale with sympathy, to the earnest 
pleading face of the widow. Dr. Wilson per- 
formed the hardest task of the physician, as 
he said; 

^^He is dying, Mrs. Haley; but his suffering 
is already past.” 


DEATH^S SHADOW 


95 


For a moment she did not take her eyes off 
the face of the doctor, and he began to fear 
that the strain had been too much for her. A 
moment later he was relieved to see the tears 
again gush into her eyes, and he knew that 
she had thus found relief for a part of her 
grief. 

^Where’s Ester? QuickC said Mrs. Haley, 
rousing herself, and turning toward the little 
weeping group. 

^^Here she is,” said an old woman, tottering 
forward, and leading little Ester, too young to 
understand what the sad scene meant. It was 
old Mrs. Beman. 

^^Here, Ester,” said the broken-hearted moth- 
er, “come and kiss little brother before he dies. 
The old lady lifted her up, and the mother, 
with a tender hand, pusht the yellow locks 
back from the forehead, and little Ester kist 
the white brow. 

“Do you want to kiss him, Dick?” sobbed 
the mother. 

Dick was too full of grief to speak, but his 


96 


DICK HALEY 


head gave that earnest, emphatic, characteris- 
tic affirmative nod ; and, crying as if his heart 
would break, he leaned forward, and kist the 
bared white brow. 

Mrs. Haley bent over the little form, and 
tenderly put her arm about it. She prest her 
handkerchief to her eyes to wipe away the tears 
that shut the precious face from her eager 
gaze. Again her eyes filled with blinding 
tears, and again she wiped them away. Then 
she bent lower, and thrice kist the parted lips. 

God! O GodP’ she moaned, and kist the 
lips again. 

The moans of the child were husht. The 
eyes were glazed. The heart had ceased to 
throb. — Little Freddie was dead. And with 
the parting moan had gone the last trace of 
pain and suffering and anguish from his face; 
and in their place a sweet, calm, peaceful love- 
liness unchanging rested. Even the faintest 
smile lingered upon the face of the child. — 
Had an angePs hand toucht the sweet face as 
it came to guide the spirit home? Surely 


DEATH’S SHADOW 


97 


there was something akin to angelic purity and 
beauty in the calm face upon the pillow there. 

Husht sobs were heard throughout the room. 
The widow lay her weary head upon the bed 
beside her dead child, and moaned piteously. 
Dick leaned his head against his mother’s 
shoulder, and sobbed aloud. Dr. Wilson stept 
quietly to the side of his wife, and whispered 
a word into her ear; and she lifted her tear- 
stained face from her handkerchief, and moved 
noiselessly and gracefully to the side of the 
widow, and bending over her, spoke gently a 
few words to her. Mrs. Haley rose, and, bend- 
ing again over her child, kist once more the 
dear face, and then suffered herself to be led 
to the rocking chair away from the bed. Old 
Mrs. Beman walkt slowly to the bedside, and 
with a gentle, tho trembling, hand closed the 
sightless eyes, and then tied a snow-white nap- 
kin about the head to close the mouth. Just 
then the sun came out from behind a cloud, and 
poured a flood of rich mellow light in through 
the little window, and the rays fell aslant the 


98 


DICK HALEY 


silent face, and haloed it with a holiness and 
heavenly beauty that would beggar descrip- 
tion of writer’s pen or painter’s brush. From 
the old peach tree the mocking bird was pour- 
ing in through the open door a veritable bap- 
tism of his sweetest wild-wood melody. 

Death reigned; but God had beautified his 
environments. 


CHAPTER VIII. 


THE BULLY OUTMATCHT. 

The spring and the following summer had 
past since the mound of earth had been round- 
ed above the body of little Freddie. Dick was 
now eight years old, and Ester was six. The 
opening day of school, the following fall, was 
one of the proudest in Dick’s life, when he 
took Ester by the hand, and they marcht off 
up the road to school together. Ester’s com- 
panionship put new life into Dick’s school ex- 
periences. The cold, and often cruel, treat- 
ment he had received from the outside world 
had only intensified his attachment to the true 
heart of his sister. As for Ester, Dick was a 
sort of hero in her eyes, and she was a little 
“hero worshipper.” Then, too, the recent death 


100 


DICK HALEY 


of Freddie had added to the strength of the 
affection between them. True, they had their 
childish difficulties and little quarrels that 
sometimes required the inspired wisdom of a 
mother to adjust; but under and over all that, 
there was a genuine filial fondness that made 
them ever true to each other as brother and 
sister. In Ester, Dick had a true heart of sym- 
pathy that always rejoiced in his joys, and in 
his sorrows was ever ready to share his bur- 
den with him. Dick, in turn, would have re- 
sented an insult or an injury to Ester much 
quicker than to himself. 

Ester partook strongly of the appearance 
and disposition of her mother. She was real- 
ly a pretty little girl, — large blue eyes, rich 
brown hair that reacht well down over her 
shoulders, an intelligent forehead, and a re- 
sponsive face, unmarred by the great brown 
freckles that so unfavorably distinguisht Dick. 
She was quick to learn, and led in her little 
class of five. 

During her first days at school, EsteFs hap- 


THE BULLY OUTMATCHT 


101 


piness was painfully marred by the many evi- 
dences and constant reminders that Dick was 
not regarded by the outside world as a hero, 
as she regarded him. Yet this discovery did 
not in the least defect her admiration for him, 
but rather increased it. 

Many were the times that Ester^s eyes flasht 
and her fair face flusht in resentment at the 
disparaging taunts hurled at Dick in her pres- 
ence. Sam Turpin’s habit of teasing and tor- 
menting Dick had become chronic. He had 
never forgiven him the lick he had struck him 
over the head with the bat, which had prevent- 
ed an almost completed victory over his enemy ; 
and he never missed an opportunity to vent 
his low, groveling hatred. Dick still dreaded 
him, but not with that cringing fear that had 
formerly overwhelmed him at the presence or 
the touch of the bully. Ester had come to hate 
him as she had never before hated any crea- 
ture. She never saw him or came into his 
presence but her cheek flusht, and her eye 
kindled. 


102 


DICK HALEY 


Ester was always ready to render Dick any 
assistance, and never thought of fear on such 
occasions. Once, when Sam Turpin had caught 
Dick, and cast him sprawling on the ground, 
and then, with a cry of ^^wood-pile,’’ seized boy 
after boy of Dick^s size and larger, and threw 
them crosswise one to another until he had 
half a dozen or more in the pile, and then leapt 
upon the top of the ^Vood-pile”, and with out- 
stretcht arms and legs held the struggling mass 
down firmly on the nearly crusht form of Dick, 
Ester ran to Dick, and seized his outstretcht 
hand, and tried with all her might to draw 
him out ; but all her efforts were futile. Drop- 
ping the hand of her brother, she rusht at Sam, 
exclaiming, ^^You hateful, mean thing!” and 
tried to push him off the heap of boys, but her 
frantic efforts made no impression on the bur- 
ly form of the bully save to evoke a loud taunt- 
ing laugh of ridicule. A moment she desisted 
to catch her breath. The bully’s attention was 
directed to the squirming mass beneath him. 
Ester’s eyes fiasht like a young panther’s, and 


THE BULLY OUTMATCHT 


103 


she rusht again at the bully, catching both her 
hands deep into his bushy hair just above the 
back of his neck, and, pulling directly up over 
the top of his head, she threw her entire weight 
back with all her power and a might that 
brought a howl of pain from the throat of th^ 
bully, as he came rolling, kicking, scrambling 
down off the ^^wood-pile’’ ; and Dick was re- 
leased. 

That winter the school had two weeks’ hol- 
iday vacation. The weather was exceptionally 
delightful, many of the days almost as warm 
as spring. Dick and Ester played out of doors 
much of the time. One afternoon Dick spent 
at Mr. Beman’s, at the request of the latter, and 
helpt drive some cattle and hogs to another 
farm. 

Mr. Beman’s grandson, Harry Beman, was 
spending the vacation with his grandfather. 
Harry lived at Greeley, about forty miles away, 
where his father, Mr. Beman’s oldest son, was 
a wealthy grain-dealer. This was his first vis- 
it to his grandfather’s home since he was a 


104 


DICK HALEY 


child, and he was now a young man of seven- 
teen, well developt and mature for his age. He 
was not large, but exceptionally strong and 
athletic; in fact, he held the record for run- 
ning, wrestling and running-long- jump in the 
high school at Greeley, a town of about three 
thousand inhabitants. 

It was about the middle of the vacation that 
Dick had spent the half day working for Mr. 
Beman; and at the close of the day’s work, 
after Dick had declined staying for supper, the 
old man gave him twenty-five cents. It was the 
most money Dick had ever possessed at one 
time in his life, and he was so proud of it and 
so anxious to exhibit it at home that he could 
not refrain from running most of the way 
home. 

After supper that evening, when Harry and 
his grandparents and the hired man were com- 
fortably seated around the great glowing fire- 
place, the young man turned to Mr. Beman, 
and said; 


THE BULLY OUTMATCHT 


105 


^^Say, grand-pa, Dick’s a pretty good hand 
for such a little fellow, isn’t he?” 

^^Fustrate, fustrate,” replied the old man, 
approvingly; ^^an’ his dad wus a good han’ 
afore ’im. Once in a while w’en the mines 
closed down fur a spell, I uster hire ’im on the 
farm, an’ I never had a harder workin’ er a 
willin’er han’. Pore feller,” continued the 
speaker with a sigh, ^^he wus turribly given to 
drink at times, an’ he got killed in a drunken 
fight three years ago — jes about now — lemme 
see — ” said the old man, thoughtfully. 

^‘It’ll be three years ago tomorrow night,” 
prompted his wife. 

^^Yes; that’s right, that’s right; three years 
tomorrer night.” 

^Would you mind telling me about it, 
grandpa?” askt the young man, his face 
brightening with interest. 

Mr. Beman related the entire thrilling and 
deplorable incident, finishing with a brief pic- 
ture of the almost destitute circumstances in 
which his family was left, and how he had as- 


106 


DICK HALEY 


sisted the widow in procuring their modest 
little home. 

^‘It looks to me like folks ought to be good 
to people like that/’ said Harry, looking as if 
he would like to walk over and shake hands 
with his grandfather, and congratulate him, if 
he thought he dare. 

‘^Well, they ought/’ responded Mr. Beman, 
with an emphatic nod, ^^but they ain’t all. 
That little feller, Dick, has a purty hard time 
uv it sometimes, ’specially at school. We’ve 
got one of the meanest, overbearin’est bullies 
in our school uv any school in the county.” 
With this preface, Mr. Beman related the 
whole history of Sam Turpin’s bullying. 

As the old man related incident after inci- 
dent, the young man listened with the deepest 
interest. At times his eyes sparkled, and his 
cheek colored. As he described the fight be- 
tween Sam Turpin and Henry True, Harry 
leaned forward in his chair, his hand clencht, 
and the muscles of his jaws working. Harry 
Beman was a favorite among his school-mates. 


THE BULLY OUTMATOHT 


107 


and tho he excelled in physical strength, and 
delighted in contests, yet he was no bully, and 
despised nothing more. He had had but one 
fight in his life, and that with a school-mate 
both older and larger than himself, caused by 
an attempt to bully a younger pupil, and re- 
sulting in the bully’s receiving an unmerciful 
hogging, and Harry’s getting hardly a scratch. 

When the old man had concluded, Harry 
askt a number of questions ; and then they re- 
tired for the night. But the young man found 
it impossible to dismiss the matter from his 
mind. There kept coming up before him the 
picture of a big, stout, heartless brute, bully- 
ing it over a poor little fatherless, helpless 
boy like Dick, — and a child so trusty and will- 
ing to work as he had shown himself that day, 
— it made Harry’s blood fairly boil within 
him. And then he was just his own age, too. 
— Somehow, he found himself wishing he were 
a pupil in the little country school there in- 
stead of the high school at Greeley. Would he 
allow a bully like that to run over a child like 


108 


DICK HALEY 


Dick? he found himself asking himself; and 
then his jaw would set, and his hand clinch 
again. When ^^he came to himself’’, he found 
himself in his shirt sleeves, pacing the floor of 
his room, like a tiger in a cage. He threw 
himself into a chair, provokt at his own agita- 
tion over a matter that did not concern him; 
and with a scowl on his handsome face began 
unlacing his shoes, flnisht undressing, and 
went to bed, determined to dismiss the whole 
matter, and go to sleep. For more than an 
hour he lay there unable to sleep. At last, 
however, the vigorous exercise of the day and 
the demands of a strong, healthy body over- 
came the excitement of the story, and he fell 
asleep. But all the next day, whether at work, 
or riding over the farm, or hunting rabbits, he 
repeatedly found himself viewing the vivid pic- 
tures that his imagination flasht before his 
mind, and sometimes muttering to himself im- 
aginary exchanges of words with Sam Turpin. 
He felt disgusted with himself that he was un- 
able to dismiss from his mind a matter with 


THE BULLY OUTMATCHT 


109 


which he had no connection, or cease laying 
plans that could never be realized. He would 
probably never so much as see Sam Turpin; 
and even if he should see him, it would be ab- 
solutely improper — even ridiculous — to so 
much as mention the matter of his bullying 
over Dick. 

The next day, after the noon meal had been 
finisht, and the little group leaned back from 
the well-laden table, Mr. Beman turned to 
Harry, and said; 

^^Harry, how’d ye like to drive to town this 
afternoon 

^^Fine,’’ replied the young man. 

^Well, they’s a piece uv my corn-sheller at 
the blacksmith shop ’at I took over the other 
day t’get fixed, an’ we’ll need it tomorrer, an’ 
if you’d just as soon I’d like fur you to drive 
over an’ get it.” 

Half an hour later the team was hitcht to 
the spring wagon; and Harry, leaping in, 
dasht away toward the little village. The Wid- 
ow Haley’s home was on the way, and as he ap- 


110 


DICK HALEY 


proacht he saw her and Dick come out to the 
road. 

^^Good-afternoon, Harry,’’ said the widow. 

^^How do you do,” responded Harry, rein- 
ing in his team with one hand, and gracefully 
lifting his cap with the other. 

^^Are you going to town?” 

^^Yes, ma’am.” 

^Would you mind if Dick should go with 
you?” 

^^No; I’d be glad to have him go along, Mrs. 
Haley.” 

want to send to town for a few things that 
Dick can get, if it won’t trouble too much.” 

^^No trouble at all. I’ll be glad to have the 
company. Jump in, Dick,” and Harry reacht 
him a hand, and away they went. 

The fine weather and excellent roads made 
the time and distance seem short; and in a 
few minutes, that seemed to them both scarce- 
ly half the time, they had reacht the village, 
and Harry was turning his horses toward the 
hitch-rack in front of the blacksmith shop. 


THE BULLY OUTMATCHT 


111 


Quite a group of men and boys had collected 
at the side of the shop, watching an interesting 
game of ^^horse-shoes’’. As they drove up, a 
heavy-built, pert-faced young man, with his cap 
on the back of his head, lookt up at them, and 
called out; 

^‘Hello there. Turkey-egg!” 

Harry cast a glance at the speaker, and felt 
his heart beat quicker, and his blood flow fast- 
er. Could it be possible that was Sam Turpin? 

“Whoa!” said Harry, as his horses came up 
to the rack; and then in an undertone he said 
to Dick, “Who is that fellow?” 

“Sam Turpin,” replied Dick, in a subdued 
tone, which indicated only too clearl}^ the fear 
that he felt. 

“Hello there, Turkey -egg!” tauntingly i^e- 
peated the bravado, louder than before, at- 
tracting, much to his satisfaction, the atten- 
tion of the group of loiterers. 

“Who are you talking to ?” said Harry, with- 
out rising from the seat. There was a chal- 
lenge in the ring of the clear voice, that stopt 


112 


DICK HALEY 


the game of ^^horse-shoes’’, and flxt the atten- 
tion of the entire group. Here and there in 
the group of observers some one askt, ^Who is 
he?” — ^Who is he?” But Harry had been to 
town a few days before with his grandfather, 
and a few of the spectators recognized him, 
and soon the entire group knew who he was. 

^^Enny buddy ’at’d like ter hear,” sneering- 
ly replied the bully to Harry’s pointed ques- 
tion. 

^Hf you’re talking to me, sir, it’s all right,” 
replied Harry, without changing his position, 
but looking his new acquaintance straight in 
the eye, ^^but if you’re throwing insults at 
this helpless little boy here, you’re a d — d cow- 
ard!” Harry seldom swore, but the oath past 
his lips before he had time to consider. His 
blood was fairly boiling now, but he retained 
perfect control of himself. His experience as 
an athlete had taught him too well the proper 
deportment in a contest for mastery for him 
to show himself eager, or in any way excited; 
and he deliberately retained his seat, holding 


THE BULLY OUTMATCHT 


113 


the lines in his hand. Then, too, there was 
something in the build and boldness of Sam 
Turpin that told his trained eye that he had 
an opponent worthy of his steel. 

^^Thet might soun’ better^f ye^s on the groun’.’’ 
tauntingly challenged the bully, his eye flash- 
ing with the excitement of a prospective en- 
counter, and his face flushing with anger. 

^Wefll see,’’ replied Harry, with a forced 
calmness, quickly wrapping the lines around 
the brake of the wagon, and leaping out. He 
tied the horses, and walkt straight toward the 
bully, who had thrown his cap and coat defi- 
antly to the ground. Dick had climbed out 
of the wagon, and was following close behind, 
his heart beating so loud he could hear it. He 
had seen one of his friends interfere in his be- 
half, and he was trembling in anticipation of 
the results of another encounter. He wanted 
to beg Harry to desist, but he did not know 
how to proceed. When Harry was within a 
dozen paces of his antagonist, he stript off his 
coat and vest, and hung them, with his cap, on 


114 


DICK HALEY 


the end of the hitch-rack, and then advanced 
toward the bully, who advanced to meet him. 
As they confronted each other each threw him- 
self into position, and for an instant stood glar- 
ing defiantly into each other^s eyes. The two 
young men were about equal in height, but Sam 
had the advantage of not less than fifteen 
pounds in weight ; and tho this advantage was 
very apparent, yet there was something in the 
well proportioned form, as well as in the elas- 
tic step and fearless eye of Harry that markt 
him as a possible match for his weightier an- 
tagonist. The contrast of the faces was more 
markt than that of the forms. On the one 
side were the coarse, brutal features of the 
bully ; on the other, the full, clear eye, the lofty 
forehead, the expressive lips and the features 
of honor and manhood. 

There was but an instant’s hesitation. 

^^Are you ready?” askt Harry, his gleaming 
eyes looking straight into the angry eyes of 
his enemy, every muscle at its highest tension. 


THE BULLY OUTMATCHT 


115 


and his gutteral tone indicative of his eager- 
ness for the fight. 

‘‘D — n je, I’m alius ready,” came the jeering 
reply from between the teeth of the bully. 

He had scarcely uttered the short sentence 
when Harry tapt him lightly, but firmly, on the 
chest with the back of his half closed left hand. 
The boldness and decision of the actions of 
Harry were winning the admiration, and to 
some extent the confidence, of the eager crowd 
that surrounded them. Yet nearly every spec- 
tator fully expected to see him completely out- 
matcht, and thoroughly thrashed; for the little 
town was not incorporated, and hence there 
was no peace officer, and the whole law of jus- 
tice and peace was summed up there (as in 
many another community in those days) in 
^^seein’ a fair fight, an’ keepin’ yer ban’s off on- 
til one uv ’em hollered ‘Nuff’ ”. 

The instant Harry’s hand toucht his enemy 
the latter struck with all his power with his 
strong right hand straight at the face. Harry 
warded off the swift blow with his right hand 


116 


DICK HALEY 


with an ease and precision that was admirable, 
and sent his own left straight to the unguarded 
mouth of the bully with a stinging force that 
brought blood. The second blow from the right 
hand of the bully, he failed to guard, however, 
and the heavy jar he received and the smarting 
pain that markt the spot where the blow had 
landed on his face fully verified his opinion of 
his opponent’s physical strength. 

At the first exchange of blows each of the 
men realized that he was closely matcht. This 
was no surprise to Harry, for he had pretty 
well estimated the strength and ability of his 
opponent; but the science displayed by his ag- 
gressive opponent and the stinging blows he 
was receiving, especially from his left hand 
(for Harry was ^^left-handed”, and that 
^^punch” of his was remembered and avoided 
by every high school boy at Greeley that had 
ever ^^put on the gloves” with him), were prov- 
ing both eye-openers and eye-closers to the 
bully. 

Sam was striking fast and hard straight for 



his own left straight to the unguarded mouth of the hullg. 








% 




I 







( 


THE BULLY OUTMATCHT 


117 


the face, and giving little attention to trying 
to ward off the blows of his adversary. On the 
other hand, Harry was calculating every blow, 
and warding off most of the blows of his oppo- 
nent, tho he had received several hard hits. At 
first he directed his blows to the face, but 
quickly perceiving how little effect — aside from 
bringing blood — they were having on the sturdy 
form of the bully, he began, whenever opportu- 
nity offered, to send a hard left occasionally 
to the region of the pit of the stomach, with 
telling effect. Crouching slightly, he sent three 
blows in rapid succession to the same region, 
and the bully fairly gaspt for breath. Seeing 
his advantage, he straightened himself quick- 
ly, and sent a shower of terrific blows to the 
face. Sam staggered slightly, but quickly re- 
covered himself. Kealizing that he was clearly 
outmatcht with his fists, the bully suddenly 
duckt his head, and rusht. Somewhat to his 
surprise, his opponent, instead of trying to 
avoid a clinch, welcomed it readily; and they 
grappled. They secured equal advantage, — 


118 


DICK HALEY 


each with one underhold. Sam felt absolutely 
sure of himself now, for he had never yet 
grappled with the man within his own weight 
who could withstand his powerful ^^hug’\ The 
throng of spectators prest more eagerly around 
the combatants, as they saw the plan of battle 
change. Most noted the change with regret, 
for, in spite of his brief acquaintance, the 
sympathy of the majority was already with 
Harry, and Sam Turpin^s ability as a wrestler 
was known to them all, and they believed the 
lighter form of his opponent would be at his 
mercy in his powerful arms. Harry felt equal- 
ly sure. However, as the arms of the bully 
tightened around him, he realized that he had 
probably never before been within so strong 
a grasp. Each was guarding every advantage, 
and steadily tightening his grasp. The final 
struggle was at hand. One of the strong backs 
must yield. Which would it be? The specta- 
tors were spell-bound with the excitement of 
the moment. Dick’s nerves had never before 
been so highly wrought up, for he had watcht 


THE BULLY OUTMATCHT 


119 


every movement from the beginning of the com- 
bat. All depended upon the issue of the next 
moment Harry threw his left shoulder 
against the chest of his antagonist, and his 
whole strength into his tightly graspt arms. 
His grip was like a vise. Sam Turpin had nev- 
er before felt a clutch like that. His back 
yielded, and he went backward. As he went to 
the ground, Harry loosed his hold, and seizing 
him by the throat with his right hand, sent 
his left with a swift upper-cut to the mouth 
and nose with fearful effect. As they struck 
the ground, Harry threw off all his coolness 
and splendid self-control. He saw beneath him 
now only the brutal, bullying coward that 
would strike and kick and torture a helpless 
child. With his right hand he pinned the 
bully to the ground, while his left was playing 
like a trip-hammer on his defenseless face. 

‘‘Nuff! Take ’im off! Take ’im off!’’ yelled 
the bully, as he could get his breath. 

The cry from his vanquisht foe brought Har- 
ry to himself, and before any one could inter- 


120 


DICK HALEY 


fere, he released him, and sprang to his feet. 
Sam Turpin was helpt to his feet. His face 
was bleeding profusely, and he was slightly 
groggy. He was led away; and Harry turned 
and walkt into the shop, where he found a 
basin of water, and washt his hands and face. 
He had received a hard blow on the cheek, 
which had broken the skin, and the wound was 
bleeding slightly. Otherwise he showed little 
effect of the conflict. 

The mended piece of the corn-sheller was se- 
cured and paid for, and the little trading done 
that Dick had been sent to attend to, tho Dick 
was so much excited that Harry had to do his 
shopping for him. 

As Harry and Dick walkt back down the 
street to their wagon, the eyes of all on the 
street followed the young man closely and ad- 
miringly. That Sam Turpin, the bully, had 
been whipt in a fair fight was much; but that 
it had been done so completely and neatly by 
one so much lighter in weight was hardly con- 
ceivable. Harry did not wait for congratula- 


THE BULLY OUTMATCHT 


121 


tions, but untied his team, sprang into the 
wagon, into which Dick had already climbed, 
and drove away. 

He left Dick at his home ; and the latter ran 
into the house, and in the most animated man- 
ner began relating to his mother and Ester the 
account of the thrilling incidents of his trip 
to town. Mrs. Haley listened attentively; and 
when he was through, her face was pale and 
serious. But Ester^s eyes sparkled while she 
listened; and when he had finisht, she jumpt 
right up and down, and clapt her hands. 

Jim, the hired man, met Harry as he drove 
into the barn lot at home, and helpt unhitch 
the team ; and then Harry went into the house, 
where he found his grandparents seated com- 
fortably before the cheerful fire. 

“Did ye git the piece all right, Harry askt 
his grandfather, as he entered the room. 

“Yes, sir.’’ 

^^W’y, ye’ve hurt yer face, ain’t ye, Harry?” 
askt the old man, leaning forward, and look- 
ing intently at Harry’s bruised cheek. 


122 


DICK HALEY 


^^Yes, I reckon, a little/’ carelessly responded 
the young man. 

^^How’d ye do it?” askt the old man, with 
deepest interest. But before Harry could re- 
ply his grandmother had risen from her chair, 
and hobbled over to his side, adjusting her 
glasses on her nose as she did so, and, putting 
her hand on Harry’s shoulder, bent down, and 
lookt at the wound. 

^Why, bless your heart, child, you have 
hurt your face!” exclaimed the old lady. ^^Your 
cheek’s been bleeding, and it’s bruised ’til it’s 
black. You must have something on it.” 

‘^O, it doesn’t amount to anything, grand- 
ma. It isn’t as bad as it looks. I expect what 
it needs is some water.” 

‘‘How did you hurt it, Harry?” repeated Mr. 
Beman, earnestly. 

“I’m afraid if I tell you you’ll send me home 
before my vacation is over, grandpa. But I 
reckon I’ll have to tell you anyway. — I had 
a fight.” 


THE BULLY OUTMATCHT 


123 


^‘Had a fight!!’’ exclaimed both his grand- 
parents together. 

^^Are you telling the truth?” eagerly askt the 
old man. 

have to admit that I am/’ replied Harry, 
smiling, tho with a little embarrassment. 

^Well, who’d ye have a fight with?” queried 
the old man, with a twinkle of humor and 
resignation in his eye. 

^^As nearly as I could identify him, it was 
Sam Turpin,” replied the young man, with an 
assumed indifference. 

^^Sam Turpin!” again both of his grandpar- 
ents exclaimed at the same breath. 

^‘Did Sam Turpin do that,” askt the old 
man, pointing at the wounded cheek, the hu- 
mor and indifference in his eye giving way to 
a flash of fire. 

^^That’s my recollection of it,” answered 
Harry, with a little laugh. 

The old man eyed his grandson for a mo- 
ment with a look of disturbed uneasiness, as 


124 


DICK HALEY 


if he were half afraid to question him further. 
At last he said; 

^^Did ye leave ’im anything to remember you 

byr^ 

don’t think he’ll forget our brief acquaint- 
ance any sooner than I/’ replied Harry, with 
a satisfied smile. 

‘‘Harry,” said the old man, impatiently, 
“stop yer foolin’, an’ tell me all about it.” 

Harry did. He started in at the beginning, 
and related every detail as far as he could re- 
call, even imitating almost perfectly the bul- 
ly’s cry of, “Nuff ! Take ’im off ! Take ’im off !” 

“Burned if — ” began the old man, slapping 
his knee, as Harry finisht. 

“Why, paP’ exclaimed his wife. 

“Oh! excuse me, mother,” said the old man; 
“I forgot. But, by Jove — ” 

“Pa !” again interjected his good wife. 

“Well, mother,” said the old man, chuckling 
to himself, “I’ve got ter say sumthin’, er Mamed 
if I won’t explode , — My boy, I want ter shake 
yer han’ on that little job,” continued Mr. Be- 


THE BULLY OUTMATCHT 


125 


man, rising and walking over to his grandson ; 
^^guess yer gran’ma won’t objec’ ter that,” add- 
ed the old man, chuckling again. 

Harry rose, and placed his hand in that of 
his grandsire’s, and, with a smile of apprecia- 
tion, said, ^^Thank you,” and sank back into 
his chair, with an amused smile playing on his 
face. 

tell ye, that’s wuth a boss,” continued the 
old man. ^^Course I don’t b’lieve in fightin’, 
but that’s the mos’ Christian thing ’at’s hap- 
pened to that young buck sence he’s weaned. 
An’ you shall have somethin’ t’remember it by, 
too. Mos’ any thing ye want. What shall it 
be? — Name it, an’ ye shall have it.” 

^^A basin of warm water and a towel,” said 
Harry, laughing. — No, no!” he exclaimed, 
springing to his feet, and motioning his grand- 
mother back into the chair, from which she 
was with some difficulty rising to wait on him. 

know just where they are, grandma; you 
sit still,” and, smiling back over his shoulder 
at his grandparents, he went into the kitchen. 


126 


DICK HALEY 


‘^Say, mother, that’s the bes’ thing ’at’s hap- 
pened in this county fur ten years/’ said the 
old man, addressing his wife. 

^^May be so,” replied the old woman, ^^but 
I don’t think you ought to encourage Harry 
in such things.” 

^^Encourage Harry! By George, it’s the oth- 
er feller ’at needs the encouragin’, — not Harry 
and the old man rose, thrust his hands into 
his pockets, and walkt back and forth across 
the room, chuckling to himself. 


CHAPTER IX. 


A PEARL-HANDLED KNIFE WITH A SILVER SCROLL. 

Turpin did not start to school the first 
day after Christmas vacation; in fact, it was 
the middle of the week before he made his ap- 
pearance, and even then he brought with him 
two decidedly ^^black eyes’’, as humiliating re- 
minders of his brief acquaintance with the 
young man from Greeley. Dick was standing 
at the door of the school-house when Sam came 
up, and could not help feeling a little thrill 
of gratification as he saw the two black eyes 
of the boastful pugilist. Nor could the lat- 
ter fail to detect the slight gleam of exultation 
in Dick’s eyes as they rested upon him. He 
blamed Dick wholly for the disgraceful flog- 
ging he had received at the hands of young 


128 


DICK HALEY 


Beman. For an instant his scowling brow 
lowered, and he was seized with an almost un- 
controllable impulse to rush at the child, and 
administer the punishment his impudence mer- 
ited. — But no; a better course would open to 
him. He would apparently entirely ignore 
him, but watch carefully for an opportunity to 
^^get even with him^’. Days passed, and weeks 
and months, and Dick was enjoying his immu- 
nity from the nick-names and jeering taunts 
and the dreaded hand of the bully. But at 
last the opportunity came, and in a way Dick 
had never dreamed of ; in fact, Dick had never 
for a moment suspected that the big ruffian was 
^^lying for him.” 

Willie Wilson had received for a Christmas 
present a most beautiful little pearl-handled 
knife, with the name ^^WilUe’’ scrolled in sil- 
ver in the handle. It was not only a very 
beautiful present, but must also have been 
quite costly. With much pleasure and pride 
Willie brought it to school, and passed it 
around among the pupils, who exprest their 


A PEARL-HANDLED KNIFE 129 


admiration of its bewitching beauty with many 
complimentary remarks. 

^What a lovely present!’’ exclaimed Miss 
Benson, holding it in her open hand; and then 
taking it daintily between her thumb and fin- 
ger she held it up to the light to admire its 
brilliancy. ^^You must be very careful not to 
lose it, Willie,” she said as she returned it to 
its owner; and then added, with a smile, ‘^I’m 
afraid some little boy’s heart would be about 
broken, if that should get lost.” 

Twice Dick had the pleasure of holding the 
coveted treasure in his own hands; once at 
school, and once as he and Willie walkt to- 
gether on the way home. As he opened and 
shut the glittering blades, he thought to him- 
self that if he could but own a knife like that 
there was nothing else in the world he would 
much care to possess. 

One day during the following spring term, 
while the first class after the noon recess was 
reciting, Willie raised his hand. 

^What is it, Willie?” askt the teacher. 


130 


DICK HALEY 


^Tlease may I go out, and look for my 
knife?’’ askt Willie, with a troubled expres- 
sion on his face. 

^^Have you lost your knife askt the teach- 
er, the slight emphasis on the last word indi- 
cating her deep interest. The whole school 
lookt up in surprise, for Willie’s knife was well 
known to them all. ^^Yes,” continued the teach- 
er, ^‘you may go, and look for it.” 

Willie left the room, and remained out some 
time. When he returned it was plain to be 
seen he had been crying. 

^^Did you find it?” askt Miss Benson, with 
manifest interest. 

^‘No, ma’am,” replied Willie, his eyes filling 
with tears. 

^^Did any of you see anything of Willie’s 
knife?” askt the teacher, looking inquiringly 
into the faces of the pupils. There was no re- 
ply, save the shaking of a number of heads in 
the negative. ^^Never mind, Willie,” said the 
teacher, sympathetically, ^^we will all look for 


A PEARL-HANDLED KNIFE 131 


it at recess,” and she turned to her class, and 
most of the pupils to their books. 

Before dismissing for recess, Miss Benson 
said to the school ; 

^^Now let us all make a careful search for 
Willie’s knife.” And turning to Willie, she 
said; ^^Are you sure you brought it to school 
today, Willie?” 

^Wes, ma’am,” replied the latter, earnestly, 
had it sharpening my pencil jus’ before 
noon.” 

saw ’im,” spoke up a boy behind him. 

^^Are you sure you lost it at noon?” 

^‘Yes, ma’am; ’cause I missed it just after I 
come in from the play-groun’.” 

^^Do you have any idea where you may have 
lost it?” 

^^No, ma’am; only I wasn’t off of the play- 
groun’ at all.” 

^^Do you know what pocket you had it in?” 

^^This’n,” replied Willie, rising, and putting 
his hand into his right trousers pocket. 

^‘Have you felt in all your pockets?” 


132 


DICK HALEY 


‘‘Yes, ma’am/’ replied Willie, thrusting his 
hands into his different pockets, probably for 
the twentieth time. 

“Well, we will all look for Willie’s knife, 
and we will give three cheers for the one that 
finds it,” said the teacher ; and the whole school 
was impatient for the signal for the search 
to begin. 

The signal was given, and the school 
rusht out, and every pupil took part in the 
search. None were more active than Dick 
Haley and Sam Turpin. The one was walking 
about over the play-ground, looking closely at 
the ground, seldom lifting his eyes. The other 
was officiously directing groups of individuals 
here and there, with such expressions as, 
“Here, some uv you fellers come over on this 
side,” — “Look good ’roun’ that ol’ elm; I seen 
’im run there onct.” Occasionally he would 
pause to question Willie (in tones loud enough 
to be heard by all) as to where he had run or 
played. The search was thorough, but in 
vain; and the children finally abandoned it. 


A PEARLhHANDLED KNIFE 133 


and took up their games. At first, Willie was 
a little gloomy, but soon his buoyant spirits 
rebounded, and he resumed his work and en- 
tered into the pleasures of the day with his 
accustomed enthusiasm. During the intermis- 
sions of the two or three days following, some of 
the pupils took up the search for the lost knife ; 
but by the end of that time all hope of finding 
the knife had been abandoned. 

A week had past since the knife had been 
lost; and the bell was ringing to call the chil- 
dren from the afternoon recess, when Sam 
Turpin drew Willie to one side, and said to 
him; 

know who’s got yer knife.” 

^Who?” askt Willie, eagerly. 

^ Won’t ye tell who tol’ ye?” 

^‘No; not ’fyou don’t want me to,” replied 
Willie, with eager impatience. 

^Well, Dick Haley’s got it.” 

^^Has he?” askt Willie, incredulously. 

‘Wes; I seen ’im put it in ’is pocket jes’ a 


134 


DICK HALEY 


little bit ago, w’en ’e thought tha wasn’t no- 
buddy lookin’ at ’im.” 

goin’ to ask ’im,” said Willie, turning. 

^^HoP on/’ said Sam, catching Willie by the 
sleeve, and detaining him. ^^Don’ do thet, fur 
he’ll jes’ lie out uv it, an’ ye’ll not git it. You 
tell the teacher, an’ she’ll mek ’im give it up. 
Tell her he’s got it right in ’is pocket, an’ you 
stick to it, an’ she’ll sure git it fur ye.” 

As soon as the pupils had been seated, and 
order restored, Willie raised his hand. 

^What is it, Willie?” askt Miss Benson. 

^^Dick’s got my knife,” responded the latter, 
emphatically. 

^^Do you mean Dick Haley has the knife you 
lost the other day?” askt the teacher, with un- 
disguised surprise and determination. 

^‘Yes, ma’am.” 

The whole school was on the alert, and eager 
for developments. Dick started, and turned 
toward Willie, and then to the teacher; 

‘^No I ain’t,” he said, in manifest alarm. 

^Wait until you are askt,” sharply com- 


A PEARL-HANDLED KNIFE 135 


manded the teacher, and then fixing a firm look 
upon him, she added; ^^Do you have Willie^s 
knife?” 

^^No, ma’am, I hain’t/’ replied Dick, with 
emphasis. 

^^Are you sure he has your knife, Willie?” 
askt the teacher, turning to the one addrest. 

^Wes, ma’am, he’s got it in his pocket now/^ 
replied Willie, remembering his instruction, 
and in no way doubting the truth of the in- 
formation he had received. 

^‘Come here, Dick,” said the teacher firmly. 

Dick rose from his seat, and walkt up in 
front of the teacher, evidently considerably 
disturbed and alarmed. 

will see what you have in your pockets,” 
said Miss Benson, approaching. Dick lifted 
his arms slightly to give access to his trousers 
pockets, these being all the pockets he had, as 
it was warm spring weather, and his clothing 
consisted of shirt and trousers. Miss Benson 
thrust her hand into his loose right-hand pock- 
et, and, drawing it forth, opened it in plain 


136 


DICK HALEY 


view of Dick and the school. In her hand was 
Dick’s cheap pocket knife, and by it a little 
pearl-handled knife with the name ^^Willie^’ 
scrolled in silver on the upper side. It was a 
moment of excitement. The pupils leaned 
eagerly forward, some rising from their seats 
to get a clearer view of the contents of the 
teacher’s hand. Willie’s eyes sparkled at sight 
of the lost treasure. Dick stood staring at the 
teacher’s hand, his mouth slightly open, his 
face the picture of confusion. The teacher’s 
face wore an expression of determination. 
There was but one face of sympathy in the 
room, and that was the face of little Ester. 
She was sitting erect, leaning slightly forward, 
looking in wide-eyed wonder at Dick, whose 
back was toward her. Her cheeks were flusht 
with excitement, her eyes were soft with sym- 
pathy. She was not considering the theft or 
the shame, — she was thinking only of her hero. 
— Even as he stood there, trembling, confused, 
disgraced, he was her hero still. 

^^Sit down,” said the teacher, addressing the 


A PEARL-HANDLED KNIFE 137 


school. The determined look in her face en- 
forced immediate obedience, and every pupil 
sank into his seat. 

^Why did you tell me you did not have this 
knife,’’ askt the teacher, holding the knife in 
front of Dick. 

— I — didn’t know I had it,” stammered 
Dick. There was a giggle among the pupils, 
but the quick glance of the teacher quelled it 
as suddenly as it had started. 

^^You have told me one story, Dick. Do not 
tell me another. Where did you get this knife?’’ 
askt the teacher, with determined emphasis, 
her lips comprest, her eyes riveted on the face 
of Dick. 

— I don’t know,” faltered Dick, his eyes 
dropping from the piercing gaze of the teacher 
to the floor. 

^^You don’t know!” repeated Miss Benson, 
with sarcastic emphasis. ^^It’s a likely story 
that a boy should have in his pocket a knife 
that we have been looking for and inquiring 
for for a week, and yet not know how it came 


138 


DICK HALEY 


there/’ she continued with ironic inflection. 

will see if I cannot help your memory,” and 
she turned, and took from over the little 
black-board a rather large, straight, birch 
switch. Eeturning to the side of the fright- 
ened boy, she seized his left wrist firmly in her 
left hand, and with the switch raised in her 
right, looking into the affrighted face that 
was turned in helpless confusion toward her, 
her own pale with determination and shad- 
owed with passion, she said; 

^‘Now, sir, can you tell me how you came into 
possession of that knife?” 

don’t know,” brokenly faltered Dick. 

He had scarcely spoken the last word, when 
Miss Benson struck the first blow. It was a 
hard, cruel lash. The tough, lithe birch half 
encircled Dick’s body. His form flincht from 
the cutting, stinging sensation, but he did not 
utter a sound. He was for the moment dum- 
founded with pain and fear, for the birch had 
left a long red mark across his back. Had 
Miss Benson forgotten, or had she failed to 


A PEARL-HANDLED KNIFE 139 


note, that there was but one thin garment be- 
tween the cutting lash and the tender, quiver- 
ing flesh of the child, — that Dick wore no un- 
der garment, and that therefore the punish- 
ment was thrice as severe as it would have been 
to one better clad? — Miss Benson had no time 
to consider such details. She was thinking 
only of the theft, the stubborn denial, and her 
duty and determination to punish the offender, 
and to compel a confession. Rapidly the cruel 
birch whistled through the air, guided by the 
strong arm of the teacher. Every lash felt as 
if it were cutting the flesh. Dick could silent- 
ly bear the pain no longer. At the third or 
fourth stroke he burst forth in a cry of agony ; 
and, frantic with pain, he tore from the teach- 
er’s grasp, and turned to flee. But the quick 
hand of Miss Benson seized him by the shoul- 
der, and jerkt him violently back. Again se- 
curing his wrist in her left hand, she held the 
switch poised in the other; 

^^Now, will you tell me where you got that 


140 


DICK HALEY 


knife?” she angrily demanded, through her set 
teeth. 

— I — I — don’t — know,” sobbed Dick, im- 
passionately, catching his breath at every ut- 
terance. 

Miss Benson’s eyes flasht like fire-balls, her 
lips comprest like marble, and a cloud of anger 
darkened her face. Should she be outdone? 
and that by a little thief, a liar? Would she 
fail to compel his confession ? — Never! The un- 
feeling lash again whistled through the air, and 
the blows rained upon the defenseless back of 
the child. Dick screamed with pain, but his 
screams seemed only to madden the teacher. 
He struggled to free himself, but the strong 
grip held him fast. He threw up his free hand 
to ward off the blows, but to no effect. 

The school was in wild excitement. The 
piteous cries of the punisht child had aroused 
the sympathy of every pupil — save one. There 
was one face in the room, leaning eagerly for- 
ward to catch every cry of suffering, every sign 
of pain and anguish, — one face, marred — if 


A PEARL-HANDLED KNIFE 141 


aught could mar it — by the malicious smile of 
a fiend, gloating over the victim, as the devil 
might gloat over souls in torment. It was the 
face of him who, a week before, had seen a 
glittering object fall from the pocket of Willie 
Wilson, when he had fallen in chasing a ball, 
and had sauntered over to the spot, and sat 
down upon the ground as if resting, and when 
no eye was upon him had slipt the little pearl- 
handled knife into his pocket. It was the face 
of him who, half an hour before, when Dick 
was absorbed in watching a game, had slipt 
the same knife into the unsuspecting child’s 
pocket. 

^^Stop! Stop! Please! Please!” screamed 
Dick, squirming, writhing, struggling to break 
away. 

A little form dasht across the room; and a 
sweet, childish voice, thrilling with emotion 
and excitement, rang out, clear and distinct; 

^^Oh, teacher, stop! You’re killing Dick! 
You’re killing my brother!” 

It was Ester. Miss Benson heard the cry; 


142 


DICK HALEY 


and, still holding Dick’s wrist firmly, turned 
toward the child, and said emphatically, half 
angrily ; 

^^Go to your seat. Ester, and sit down.” 

But Ester thought only of her brother, and 
she prest forward, still pleading, and crying; 

^Tlease don’t! Please don’t! You’ll kill 
Dick!” 

^^Go back to your seat, I say,” exclaimed 
the teacher, lifting the rod to strike the child. 

Another form sprang forward, and raised an 
arm in front of the lifted hand of the teacher, 
at the same time catching the child by the 
arm with his other hand ; 

‘^Don’t hit her. Miss Benson; she doesn’t 
understand.” It was Henry True that spoke. 
There was a moment’s deathly silence, brok- 
en only by the sobs of Dick and Ester. Henry 
returned to his seat. Miss Benson loosed the 
hand of Dick, and, turning to her desk, pickt 
up the little knife, and reacht it toward him, 
saying; 

“Here! Return this knife to its owner.” 


A PEARL-HANDLED KNIFE 143 


Dick, scarcely able to see through his tears, 
took the knife, and made his way awkwardly, 
and still sobbing, to Willie, and handed him 
the knife. He did not know then whether the 
teacher intended for him to return to his seat 
or to her. He dare not ask; but, taking 
chances, he went to his seat, glancing fearful- 
ly at the teacher, lest he had again blundered. 

^^Go to your seat,” said the teacher, address- 
ing Ester; and the child obeyed. 

Ester was trembling like a leaf ; in fact, the 
extreme excitement had proven almost a nerv- 
ous shock to her. All the remainder of the af- 
ternoon she sat at her desk, sobbing, occa- 
sionally casting pathetic glances across the 
room at Dick. 

Dick soon controlled his sobs. He spent the 
remainder of the day looking quietly and stead- 
ily out of the window, his eyes red, his face 
flusht. He had forgotten his books, his school, 
— everything about him. He was looking into 
the future, — a new future. His school had be- 
fore been more or less clouded in mystery, but 


144 


DICK HALEY 


now he was looking through new eyes. Dick 
was undergoing a rapid, a terrible, evolution. 
The shame, the disgrace, the humiliation, the 
cruelty of his punishment stood out before 
him clear and distinct, like the lines and let- 
ters upon a chart. He had screamed with pain, 
he had begged, he had pleaded aloud for mer- 
cy; but no mercy had been shown him. The 
whole scene was passing vividly before his 
steady, quiet gaze. Tho his eyes were fixed 
steadily on the far away fringe of a hazy for- 
est, he did not see it. He was looking at the 
white angry face and gleaming eyes of Miss 
Benson, as they lookt down into his own up- 
turned, frightened, pleading face. But there 
was no longer the slightest dread or fear in the 
heart of Dick. On the contrary, he was ex- 
periencing an unspeakable pleasure in calmly 
gazing at that impassioned face. He fully 
realized, too, that in the eyes of his school- 
mates, he was a thief, a liar and a coward; 
and that their sneers awaited him; but even 
that afforded him additional pleasure. — Not a 


A PEARL-HANDLED KNIFE 145 


hilarious, joyful pleasure; but that grim, un- 
speakable, revengeful pleasure that comes from 
a settled, desperate purpose, — a pleasure that 
would forbid a smile, that would assassinate 
a laugh. He had no more idea of how the 
knife had come into his pocket than did the 
teacher; and, even had he known, he did not 
think he would now have told, for he did not 
want the confidence of his teacher, and as for 
his school-mates, he preferred their sneers to 
their friendship. 

Miss Benson’s cheeks were slightly fiusht; 
and her eyes (usually so firm) were a little un- 
steady. Two things worried her ; first, she had 
lost her temper, and she knew the pupils had 
apprehended it; second, she had utterly failed 
of her purpose — to secure an admission of 
guilt ; — in neither of which had she ever before 
so far fallen short. Then, too, she had punisht 
severely, but she was trying to excuse herself 
partially for that on the ground of the hein- 
ousness of the offense. She was further an- 
noyed with the consideration of the possibility 


146 


DICK HALEY 


of a complaint, or even a prosecution, for cruel 
punishment; and had Dick been a member of 
an affluent or an influential family that would 
have given her considerable concern ; but as it 
was she felt she had little to fear from that 
source. 

When school was dismist, Dick rose, and 
pickt up his books and slate with a calmness 
and decision he had not before possest. His 
old bashful awkwardness was gone. His seat 
was near the front, and when he turned round, 
he found the eyes of most of the pupils upon 
him. Some were looking in mere curiosity, 
some with expressions of teasing, some with 
contempt and scorn, and here and there a 
sneer. Dick met them all with a calm look of 
indifference, which, had it not been for his 
supposed guilt, would have gone far to win 
their sympathy and confldence. 

Ester slipt off her seat as soon as school was 
dismist, and prest her way through the crowd- 
ing pupils straight to the side of Dick, and 
put her arm lovingly around him. Dick did 


A PEAEL-HANDLED KNIFE 147 


not resent the manifestation of affection, nor 
did he in any other way recognize it. As he 
started toward the door, Ester took her arm 
from around him, and took hold of his arm, 
and walkt at his side. At the rear of the room, 
Dick met the sneering, gloating gaze of Sam 
Turpin, with a look of steady, indifferent scorn, 
and something more that shook the soul of 
the bully almost as much as had the hard 
blows of Harry Beman shaken his burly form. 

The four o’clock sun poured his warm spring 
rays of light and sympathy over the forms of 
dead Mike Haley’s two children — one but nine, 
and the other scarcely seven — as they walkt 
away from the little public school in exile; — 
exiled from the affection of their teacher, exiled 
from the fellowship, the confidence and the so- 
ciety of their school-mates. — What exile more 
complete, more terrible? — The one walking with 
steady, determined step, an unwavering, far- 
away look in his eyes ; the other clinging with 
trembling hand to his arm, and occasionally 
turning a look of sympathy up toward the face 
she could no longer understand. 


t 


CHAPTER X. 


THE NEW DICK. 

The moment Dick and Ester entered their 
home, their tired mother saw that something 
was wrong. Dick set the dinner bucket on the 
table, dropt his books on the bed, and turned, 
and walkt out. 

^^Has something gone wrong today. Ester?” 
askt the mother, with deepest concern. 

With an effort Ester had controlled her 
tears all the way home. Not a word had been 
spoken on that long road. She had lookt oc- 
casionally into Dick’s face, but she dare not 
speak, tho her heart was full to bursting. But 
now the tender question of her mother opened 
again the flood-gate of her heart, and the tears 
gusht into her eyes. She rusht to her mother, 


150 


DICK HALEY 


and buried her face in her apron, and began 
crying. Mrs. Haley gently took her by the 
arm, and led her to a chair, and sat down, the 
child standing at her side. 

^^What is it, Ester, dear? Tell ma all about 
it.’’ 

ma ! ma ! teacher jus’ whipt Dick awful — 
awful hard!” Ester dropt on her knees, and 
again buried her face in her mother’s lap, cry- 
ing. 

What could it mean? What could Dick have 
done to merit punishment? The mother’s 
heart was almost bursting with sympathy and 
anxiety, but she controlled herself, by sheer 
will power, most admirably. Lifting the child’s 
head from her lap, and pushing back the di- 
shevelled hair from her face, she said ; 

^^Dry your tears, dear, and tell ma all about 
it.” 

Ester made a desperate effort to obey, and, 
reassured by the calm face of her mother, she 
managed to speak, tho with chokings and sobs ; 

^Dh, she jus’ whipt Dick, an’ whipt ’im, an’ 



''She rusht to her another, and huried her faee 

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THE NEW DICK 


151 


whipt ^im; an’ — an’ — an’ pore Dick — he jus’ 
cried an’ hollered an’ begged, an’ she wouldn’t 
stop ’tall; an’ — an’ — an’ I thought she wus 
killin’ Dick, an’ I run up, an’ ast ’er wouldn’t 
she please stop whippin’ ’im; an’ she tol’ me 
t’go back; but I — I didn’t; and she wus goin’ 
t’hit me, but I druther she’d hit me nur Dick, 
an’ I jus stood there; an’ jus’ then Henry True 
he run up, an’ hel’ up his han’ so’s she couldn’t 
hit me, an’ tol’ ’er not to hit me ; an’ — an’ then 
she stopt whippin’ Dick.” 

The widow’s face was pale, and her eyes were 
swimming in tears. In the midst of her anx- 
iety there was joy in her heart at the thought 
that Ester’s love for her brother was so true 
that she was willing to take his punishment, 
and she felt an inclination to fold the child to 
her breast. But there was another thought 
that overshadowed everything else. There was 
a question she must ask, and she was so eager 
for the answer she could scarcely wait until 
she could get it; and yet her anxiety to know 
was only equalled by her dread of knowing. 


152 


DICK HALEY 


What awful thing had Dick been guilty of that 
he should have been punisht so? Mrs. Haley 
almost forgot the punishment in her contem- 
plation of the possible crime. But she did not 
hesitate a moment. Whatever it was, she must 
know the truth. The moment Ester had fin- 
isht her narration, she spoke. In spite of an 
effort to control, her voice trembled slightly as 
she askt; 

^What did the teacher whip Dick for?’’ 

‘^’Cause — ’cause he had Willie’s knife.” 

^Had Willie’s knife’ !” repeated the widow, 
looking earnestly into the face of her child, as 
she felt her own heart beat faster. ^^How did 
he come to have Willie’s knife?” 

don’t know,” replied Ester, helplessly. 

^^Well, how did the teacher know he had it. 
Ester?” eagerly questioned the mother. 

‘Well — well — Willie tol’ ’er, an’ then she put 
’er han’ in Dick’s pocket, an’ got it.” 

A thief — A thief! — a thief! — It was almost 
more than the mother could bear ; but she con- 


THE NEW DICK 


163 


trolled herself bravely, and, drawing Ester to 
her, kist her tear-stained cheek, and said ; 

^^Rnn on and play now, dear.” 

She followed Ester to the door, and closed it 
after her ; and then returned, and fell upon her 
knees at the side of Dick’s little trundle-bed 
in the corner of the room, and, with hands 
claspt rigidly over her breast, her pale face 
turned upward, her eyes streaming with tears, 
she offered a low, fervent, pathetic prayer, too 
secret and too sacred to repeat here. She had 
inherited with her Scotch blood that unshaken, 
pious faith of her ancestors. Rising, and dry- 
ing her tears, she walkt to the door, and, paus- 
ing a moment to gain full control of herself, 
she opened it, and called Dick. He responded 
promptly. As he approacht, she could not fail 
to note the change in his manner — his steady 
step and confident, possest carriage. She re- 
turned into the house, and sat down in a chair, 
and, as he entered the door, said firmly but 
kindly ; 

^^Come here, Dick.” 


154 


DICK HALEY 


He advanced, and stopt near her knee. He 
did not put his hand on her shoulder or in hers, 
as he usually did (for Dick had been a child 
of a dependent, confiding nature). His easy, 
self-possest demeanor perplext her. It was so 
different from Dick, 

^^Dick,” she began, with a tenderness in her 
voice she was really trying to avoid, ‘^Ester 
has told me about your trouble at school to- 
day.^’ 

Dick cast a disinterested glance toward the 
window, and then turned his eyes again quiet- 
ly on his mother’s face, but made no answer. 
That calm look, the silence, the impenetrable 
something that she felt was between her and 
her boy for the first time — it was more than the 
tired mother could bear. Her eyes filled with 
tears, and her voice trembled and shook, as she 
said; 

^^Dick, my dear child, it almost breaks my 
heart to think that my boy would steal. I 
didn’t know how badly you wanted a knife like 
that. I would have gone barefoot all winter. 


THE NEW DICK 


155 


and taken the money and bought you a knife, 
rather than have you steal.’’ Mrs. Haley had 
reacht out, and put her arm around Dick’s 
waist, and drawn him to her as she spoke. 

‘‘I didn’t steal it,” said Dick, unmoved. 

^Didn’t steal it’,” repeated the mother, try- 
ing to catch a gleam of hope ; ^‘Didn’t the teach- 
er find it in your pocket?” 

^^Yes; but I didn’t steal it.” 

^^How came it there, Dick?” 

“I dunno nuthin’ ’bout it.” 

^^Didn’t Willie tell the teacher you had it in 
your pocket?” 

''Yes.” 

"How did he know it?” 

"I dunno nuthin’ ’bout that neither.” 

"Dick, won’t you please tell ma all about it 
— ^just the truth about it? She’s the best friend 
you have in the world, Dick. She loves you 
more than her own life, and she will do every- 
thing she can for you. Won’t you tell her 
just the truth about it?” 

"I did tell ye the truth. I dunno how it 


166 


DICK HALEY 


come in my pocket. I didn’t know I had it till 
she tuk it out uv my pocket.” 

‘‘Dick, I’d give the world to know you have 
told me just the truth.” She paused, and lookt 
for a moment into the unmoved face, and then 
said ; “Kun on and play now, and may be after 
awhile we will talk more about it.” 

Supper was prepared, and eaten in 
silence. Dick seemed almost a stranger 
at the table, so changed was he. Mrs. Haley 
was trying to solve the mystery of the new ex- 
pression on the face of her boy ; trying to find 
in it some explanation of the confiicting stories 
of the knife; trying to discover, above all else, 
an avenue to the heart of her child — ah ! if she 
could but be restored to her old place there, 
and feel, as she had always felt before, that 
there was a perfect confidence between them, 
what would all else be to her — the sneer, the 
scorn, the slight of the world, — even the cruel 
whipping itself? Ester ate in silence, occa- 
sionally looking across the table at the face 
opposite her, her big, mellow eyes a silent vol- 


THE NEW DICK 


157 


ume of sympathy, interest and perplexity. Dick 
appeared entirely unconscious of the particu- 
lar interest of his mother and sister in him, 
or of their eyes upon his face. 

The children retired, as was their custom, at 
eight o’clock. Mrs. Haley sat alone, sewing by 
the light of the lamp. The sewing was entire- 
ly automatic, for her mind was upon other 
things. After awhile the heavy, steady breath- 
ing from the little bed in the corner told her 
that Dick was asleep. She lay down her sew- 
ing, and, taking the lamp, moved quietly toward 
the bed. Placing the lamp on a stand near the 
bed, she bent silently over the sleeping form. 
The face was slightly flusht, for he was a lit- 
tle feverish. The mother bent, and toucht the 
cheek with her lips. Dick stirred, and then, 
with a long-drawn sigh, settled back into his 
deep sleep. He had pusht the single cover of 
the bed down to his waist. His only sleeping 
garment was his shirt. With the gentlest 
touch possible the mother pulled the shirt up 
to his shoulders, thus baring his entire back. 


158 


DICK HALEY 


The lamp from its position threw its light di- 
rectly upon the naked back. The widow gazed, 
amazed, at the bare body. Great red welts 
crost and re-crost it in every direction. The 
small of the back — the tenderest spot — was a 
net work of red marks. At one place on his 
side, where the cruel lash had terminated, a 
little spot of blood told the tale of suffering. 
No wonder the poor child had screamed and 
begged and tried to break away. The widow’s 
breast was heaving, her breath came short and 
quick, there was a gleam in her deep blue eyes 
whose fiery flame burned the tears away — a 
flame that seldom shone there, her toil-cal- 
loused hands clenched, and she gaspt; 

God! O God — Forgive me! — Forgive — 
herr She turned her eyes again toward the 
bruised back. ^^How could she have been so 
cruel ?” she thought to herself. ^^Oh, if I could 
have received the lashes, instead of his poor 
little back, I could forgive her. But I’ll try to 
anyway.” And then the tears came, and 
drowned the flame that was burning in her eyes. 



“O God! O God! — Forgive me! — Forgive her!” 












I • 




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m 





THE NEW DICK 


159 


She replaced the cover, and retired to her own 
bed, where Ester was sleeping quietly. As she 
got into bed. Ester started, and cried out in 
her sleep ; 

don^t, teacher! Don’t! You’re killin’ 
Dick!” 

The mother spoke to her, and gently strokt 
her face ; and she became quiet again, and slept 
soundly throughout the remainder of the night. 
But not so the mother. She lay awake until 
long after midnight. Two things were harrow- 
ing the very depths of her soul; one was the 
question of Dick’s guilt, and she repeated over 
and over to herself, if I could but know 
he is innocent!” The other was the forgive- 
ness of the woman that had so cruelly beaten 
her child, and again and again she repeated 
the prayer, ^^Lord, help me to forgive her. 
Teach me to forgive.” 

Tho she had slept but little, Mrs. Haley 
rose at the usual hour, and had breakfast on 
time. The children too were up and drest with- 
out being called. Dick’s back was a little sore 


160 


DICK HALEY 


and stiff, but he made no complaint, and tried 
to show no sign of his suffering. After break- 
fast, he went to the wood-pile, and began split- 
ting wood. This was the task assigned him; 
namely, to split enough wood before school to 
last his mother during the day. He usually did 
this, and returned to the house, and waited un- 
til it was time to start to school ; but this morn- 
ing he did not return ; and when the mother had 
the dinner ready, she stept to the door, and 
called to him; 

^^Come, Dick, it is time for school.” 

Dick paused, with the ax raised in his hands 
ready to strike the next blow, and answered in 
that same positive, quiet way; 

^‘I^m not goin’ to school.” 

yes, Dick, you must. Come here.” 

Dick struck his ax lightly into the block he 
was splitting, and, leaving it sticking there, 
obeyed. 

^^You mustn^t quit school, Dick,” said his 
mother, as he came up to her. ^‘That would 
never do in the world. I have your dinner all 



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THE NEW DICK 


161 


ready. Take it, and run on to school with 
Ester.’’ 

ain’t goin’.” It was the first time in his 
life that Dick had positively refused to obey. 
His manner was in no way impudent or rebel- 
lious, but there was something in the positive, 
disinterested way in which he spoke that made 
the widow feel almost helpless. And then a 
thought came to her relief. Was it fear of the 
teacher that impelled him in his refusal? 

^^I will write a little note to the teacher, 
Dick,” she said, ^^and Ester can take it to her. 
You needn’t be afraid of her whipping you 
again,” and yet even as she said it, she felt al- 
most as if she had told him a falsehood, for she 
herself did fear that at some time the cruel 
punishment might be repeated. 

The calm, indifferent expression for a mo- 
ment fied from Dick’s face. From his eyes 
flasht a serpent-gleam, such as his mother had 
never before seen there, and from which she in- 
stinctively shrank back, his hand clenched, and 
through his tightly (closed teeth, he said ; 


162 


DICK HALEY 


— n ’er, I’d kill ’er ’f she’d ever try it 
again.” 

It Tvas the first time Mrs. Haley had ever 
heard a word of profanity from her child’s lips. 
Tho her husband was sometimes profane, and, 
much to her regret, sometimes in the presence 
of Dick, yet he had never before shown the 
least inclination to imitate his parent in this 
respect. Coupled as it was with the fierce- 
ness of his face and the revengefulness of his 
voice, Mrs. Haley stood for a moment in rigid 
suspense, staring at him. Then suddenly re- 
laxing into the most sympathetic attitude, she 
said tenderly; 

^^Dick, I had hoped and prayed that I might 
never hear you use such an ugly word.” She 
reacht down, and took one of his hands, and, 
holding it in both of hers, she continued; 
^^Dick, I don’t understand you. You seem so 
different from what you were.” She paused a 
moment, and gently strokt the hand, and then 
added with difficulty; ^^You don’t doubt that I 
love you with all my heart, do you, Dick?” 


THE NEW DICK 


163 


The calm, independent expression had again 
taken possession of Dick, and he stood with 
slightly averted face, but made no answer. 

‘Wou need not go to school today,’’ after a 
moment the widow added. ^^You and Ester 
may both stay at home, and we will think and 
talk the matter over by tomorrow.” She kist 
the hand she held, and dropt it. Dick returned 
to his work. 

The reason Mrs. Haley could not understand 
her child was simply this: She was trying to 
measure him by the old standard, the standard 
she had unconsciously set up as she had watcht 
and studied him day after day. By that stand 
ard she had understood him perfectly. But 
she was not measuring the old Dick now. It 
was the new Dick. The boy that returned 
from school the evening before was not the 
same that had left her door in the morning. 
He had evoluted. Yet the evolution had been 
perfectly natural. The only thing remarkable 
about it was its suddenness. Dick was per- 
fectly conscious of the change, tho he could not 


164 


DICK HALEY 


have analyzed the process by which it had 
come. That process was about as follows : He 
was a very timid, bashful boy, exceptionally 
careful not to infringe upon the rights of oth- 
ers; in return for his pains, his own rights 
had been most painfully infringed, and his few 
pleasurable privileges snatched from him: he 
was helplessly environed with poverty, and 
poorly drest; and this was used to cruelly 
taunt him: he had been perfectly harmless, do- 
ing his best to keep out of the way of others, 
and never in any way attempting to injure 
them; and in return he had been kicked and 
shunned and laught at, and his only luxury, 
his ten-cent knife, had been taken from him, 
and thrown away, as if it had no value: his 
best friend at school, whom he had never de- 
ceived or been untrue to, had been a party in 
bringing about his punishment: he had done 
everything in his power to please his teacher: 
— ^he had brought her flowers, and she had 
spurned them; he had refused to fight for his 
rights on the play-ground, and to avoid fight- 


/ 


THE NEW DICK 165 

ing had slipt away from his tormentors into 
the school-house, under her protection, and she 
had despised him; he had rendered her an ab- 
solute and perfect obedience — at her word he 
would gladly have prostrated himself at her 
feet, and she had loathed him; he had never 
been guilty of falsehood or theft, and she had 
unmercifully and cruelly whipt him for both; 
his father was dead, and his mother was poor 
and without influence, and his wrongs could 
not be righted: there was but one remedy, 
and that was — evolution. If he must suffer as 
a blasphemer, a liar and a thief, he would at 
least enjoy the fruits of such. As for being 
whipt and cuft and kickt about, he would die 
first. A life like his was of but little value 
anyway, and he would put no great price upon 
it — or any other that would unjustly wrong 
him. 

Mrs. Haley had a greater burden than she 
could bear and a greater problem than she 
could solve ; and she was watching for her good 
old friend, Mr. Beman. It was Thursday morn- 


166 


DICK HALEY 


ing, and he almost invariably, unless the 
weather were unfavorable, went to town on 
that day. She had not a shadow of idea of how 
he could help her out of her troubles, but she 
must counsel with some one — unload at least 
a part of the burden that seemed bearing her 
down. It had been the one great ambition of 
her heart to give each of her children at least 
a common-school education. She could not 
hope to give them more, but she was determined 
they should have this. How often had she re- 
peated, as she knelt at the bedside of her sleep- 
ing children, Father, I thank Thee that our 
home is in a country of free schools, where the 
chidren of even the poorest may fit themselves 
to avoid a life of extreme poverty.’’ And now 
to think that Dick’s schooling was ended — she 
could not — she would not consider it. Again 
she stept to the door to see if her friend were 
not coming. 


CHAPTER XI. 


FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS. 

^^Thank God/’ murmured the widow, as she 
slept to the door for the twentieth time that 
morning, and lookt up the road toward Mr. 
Beman’s home. Her problems were so many, 
and her burdens so heavy that it seemed to her 
she could not much longer bear the strain. 
And now as she saw in the distance a man and 
horse approaching, she felt, for the instant, a 
great relief. But what could he do to solve her 
stubborn problems, to lighten her wearisome 
load? And with the thought came again the 
weight of the burden. But still she was glad 
he was coming, for she could at least tell him 
her troubles, and ask his counsel. Half a doz- 
en times before he was near enough for her to 


168 


DICK HALEY 


go out to meet him, she went to the door to see 
if he were not there; and when at last she did 
decide it was time for her to go, she reacht the 
road some distance ahead of him. Mr. Beman 
was riding Old Tom, as usual. What a beau- 
tiful picture they made, as the proud old horse 
came stepping down the road that fine spring 
morning, with the green grass and the darker 
green forest for a background and an under- 
setting. And yet the sight of the beautiful, 
honest old horse aways brought a touch of 
sweet, mellow sadness to the heart of the wid- 
ow, for it recalled the little voice, now silent, 
that used to greet him with ringing shouts; 
and the little feet, now motionless, that used to 
run to meet him ; and the little hands warm with 
life, now still and cold, that used to clap with 
joy at the sight of his honest face and noble 
form. But Mrs. Haley had deeper sorrows 
this morning, sorrows that shadowed all the 
vernal beauty that surrounded her. 

^‘Good morning, Mr. Beman,” said the wid- 
ow, as he drew near. It was very common for 


FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS 169 


her to meet him there, as he went to town, to 
send for some little thing that she might need, 
or to ask some advice. The old man thought 
nothing uncommon of her being there that 
morning, and so answered in his usual easy 
way; 

^^Good mornin’, good mornin’. Missus Haley. 
Fine mornin’, ain’t it?” 

^^I’m in trouble, Mr. Reman.” 

^^Oh, thet so? Hope ’tain’t nuthin’ ser’uS,” 
answered the old man, looking earnestly at the 
face before him, and noticing for the first time 
the troubled expression. 

do not know just how serious it is. Did 
you hear about Dick’s getting a whipping yes- 
terday?” 

^^No,” answered the other, in the utmost sur- 
prise; ^Vho whipt ’im?” 

^^The teacher.” 

‘What’d she whip ’im fur?” askt the old 
man, before the widow could say more. 

^Well, that’s what I want to tell you about. 
Willie Wilson got a very beautiful little pearl- 


170 


DICK HALEY 


handled knife for a Christmas present, and 
Dick is accused of stealing it. He denied it, 
but the teacher found the knife in his pocket.” 
She paused for a moment. Then her lips quiv- 
ered, and the tears filled her eyes, as she con- 
tinued ; Mr. Beman, I think I would rath- 
er lay him at the side of dear little Freddie 
than that he should be a thief.” She choked, 
and could proceed no further. Covering her 
eyes with her handkerchief, she retired a step, 
and leaned against the gatepost. Mr. Beman 
viewed her in sympathetic silence for a mo- 
ment, and then said; 

‘^Ye say Dick denies it?” 

^^Yes,” answered the widow, endeavoring to 
control herself again. 

‘‘Does ^e hev any explanation’s t’how the 
knife come in ’is pocket?” 

“No; he says he doesn’t know anything about 
it.” 

“Well, how’d the teacher know’t wus there?” 

“Why, Willie Wilson told her Dick had it. 


FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS 171 


and she put her hand into Dick’s pocket, and 
found it.” 

The old man sat in deep study for a mo- 
ment, and then askt; ^^How’d the Wilson boy 
know ’e hed it?” 

— I do not know,” said the widow, thought- 
fully ; and then, catching at the dim shadow of 
hope, she exclaimed; ^^Oh, if he were only in- 
nocent, I wouldn’t mind all the rest. But,” 
and the gleam of hope wavered on her face, ^^a 
mother will believe in the innocence of her 
child even against all evidence. I’ve been try- 
ing all night and all day to believe Dick inno- 
cent.” She stood for a moment, her eyes rest- 
ing meditatively on the distance ; then hope fled 
from her face, and she bowed her head as one 
might before the executioner, and said; “But 
I think — ^he is — guilty.” 

“Mebby not, mebby not,” quickly responded 
the old man; “leastways I hain’t hearn ’nuff 
t’convince me ’at he’s guilty yet, knowin’ ’im’s 
I do. If it wus some un I didn’t know^ I might 
say it wus lookin’ purty ser’us.” 


172 


DICK HALEY 


The widow lookt up quickly into the kindly 
face, her own glowing with a gratitude she 
could not express. She felt like putting her 
arms around the old man^s neck, and thanking 
him for the hope his words had put into her 
breast, even tho she had known Dick were 
guilty. ^^You do not know how much I appre- 
ciate your kind words, Mr. Beman,” she said. 

^^By the way,’’ said the old man, glancing at 
Dick splitting wood, ^‘How’s come Dick ain’t 
at school today?” 

^^He refused to go.” 

^^Keckon the teacher didn’t whip ’im very 
hard, did she?” 

^^Yes, Mr. Beman, she whipt him very hard.” 

^^Did, eh? Might I ask ye how ye know?” 
askt Mr. Beman, with increasing interest. 

^^After he was asleep last night, I examined 
his back.” 

^^So bad’s thet?” exclaimed the old man, 
nervously gripping the horn of his saddle. 

‘^The marks were very plain.” 


FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS 173 


^Would ye mind T I’d see his back, Missus 
Haley?” 

^^No.— Now?” 

^^Yes; jes’ call ’im over here,” said the old 
man, dismounting. 

^^Dick,” called his mother, and he lowered 
his ax, and lookt up, ^^Come here.” He dropt 
his ax, and walkt to them. 

“Good mornin’, Dick,” said the old man, in 
his usual cheerful way. 

“Howdy,” responded the lad. 

“Mr. Reman wants to see your back, Dick,” 
said his mother. Dick lookt up with an ex- 
pression of resentment. 

“Jes’ want t’see how bad she whipt ye,” said 
the old man, assuringly. 

Dick reluctantly submitted; and Mrs. Haley 
unbuttoned his shirt in front, and pulled it 
down over his shoulders, baring his back near- 
ly to the waist. Mr. Reman lookt, then stared, 
then glared at the lash-markt back. 

“Ry — er, thet’ll do. Missus Haley. Put ’is 
shirt back.” The old man was making a des- 


174 


DICK HALEY 


perate effort to control himself. His eyes fair- 
ly glittered, and he was unconsciously rolling 
his hands alternately one in the other, as is 
the custom of men eager for action. 

^^That will do, Dick; you may go now,” said 
the mother, as she finisht buttoning his shirt. 
Dick returned to the wood-pile. 

^^No teacher orter whip till she knows the 
chiFs guilty, an’ no chiF orter be whipt like 
thet/’ said the old man, savagely. ^^Did ’e try 
ter fight, er nuthin’?” 

‘^No; I’m sure he didn’t do anything like 
that.” 

^‘I don’ know nuthin’ ’bout it, but I don’ 
b’lieve Dick ever stole the knife,” said the old 
man, with a slightly perplexed look. ^^Course 
it wus temptin’, seein’s ’e didn’t hev nuthin’ 
but thet little oF cheap thing ’at I give ’im. I 
orter got ’im a better un I ’spect — ” 

no, Mr. Beman,” broke in the widow, de- 
termined the good man should take no blame 
on himself; “he was proud of the knife you 


FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS 175 


gave him, and it was good enough. IPs no 
fault of yours, Mr. Beman.^’ 

The old man knitted his brow for a moment 
as if trying to solve some intricate problem, 
then lookt up suddenly, and askt; 

^W’en wus thet knife lost?’^ 

About a week ago,’’ replied the other, 
thoughtfully, and then an expression of recol- 
lection came over her face, and she added quick- 
ly, “yes, just a week ago yesterday, for the chil- 
dren told me about the search for it.” 

“Where wus it lost?” 

“On the play-ground, at noon.” 

“Wus they sure about thet?” 

“Yes, the children told me all about it.” 

“Did they hunt fur it?” 

“Yes ; the teacher and the whole school hunt- 
ed the ground all over thoroughly for it.” 

“Tha’s one thing sure,” said the old man, 
meditating, “whoever hed thet knife mus’ a 
hed it fur a week. Does Ester go to school an’ 
back home with Dick ever’ day?” 


176 


DICK HALEY 


answered the widow, wondering what 
the old man might be aiming at now. 

^^Hev je seen any signs uv his havin’ any 
other knife in the las’ week?” 

^^No,” answered Mrs. Haley, thoughtfully. 

^‘Hev ye seen ’im usin’ any knife durin’ thet 
time?” 

Mrs. Haley studied for a moment. ^^Yes — O, 
yes ; a number of times. I have seen him sharp- 
en his pencil several times within the last week, 
and then last Saturday he whittled out a wood- 
en doll for Ester.” 

^^Did ye notice whether ’e wus usin’ ’is own 
knife?” 

^Well, I do not remember noticing when he 
was sharpening his pencil, tho I think I should 
have noticed if he had used such a knife as 
Willie’s; but when he made the doll, I remem- 
ber distinctly seeing his own knife, for he 
laid it down on the step beside him while he 
was painting the doll’s eyes.” 

^^Has ’e ever tried to slip away from ye w’en 


FURTHEE DEVELOPMENTS 177 


wus whittlin’, er try t’slip away from Ester 
t’play?” 

^^No; he and Ester have always played to- 
gether; at least, I have never noticed anything 
to the contrary.” 

^Well, tha’s another thing ’at’s about set- 
tled,” said the old man, with the air of one 
that is picking up a lost trail, ^^an’ thet is if ’e 
hed thet knife ’e mus’ akep’ it right in ’is 
pocket the hull time.” His brow knitted again 
slightly, and then he turned a sharp, quick eye 
upon the widow, and askt; 

^^Reckon ye hain’t hed no ’casion t’ examine 
’is pockets durin’ the las’ week, — ain’t hed t’ 
mend ’is pants er nuthin’?” 

Mrs. Haley was thoughtful for a moment, 
and then her face suddenly beamed with a hap- 
py recollection. 

^Why, yes,” she said, ^^just night before last 
I had to sew a button on his pants, and — ” 
Mrs. Haley suddenly caught her breath with 
a gasp, her face turned pale, and then tears 
began to flow down her cheeks. ^^Thank hear- 


178 


DICK HALEY 


en! Thank heaven! — He’s innocent! He’s in- 
nocent !” she exclaimed, her hands clasp t. Then 
suddenly recollecting herself, she proceeded; 

always examine his pockets whenever I 
mend his pants, to see whether there are any 
holes through which he might lose something. 
I took everything out of his pockets — I remem- 
ber it all perfectly; — and then put them all 
back. There was his own knife, two short slate 
pencils, and a little top he had made from a 
spool. That was everything in his pockets. 
Thank God, he is innocent. O, Mr. Beman, 
how can I thank you for what you have done?” 
rapturously exclaimed the widow, smiling 
through her tears. 

‘Why, bless you, I hain’t done nuthin’,” an- 
swered the old man, looking puzzled. “But, by 
George, ef I wusn’t ridin’ ol’ Tom, I’d bet my 
boss ’at Dick ain’t no more guilty uv stealin’ 
thet knife’n I be. An’ then t’think ’at thet 
woman’d take an’ beat ’im like thet, durned — 
er, ’sense me. Missus Haley ; but blamed ef she 
don’t—” 


FUETHEB DEVELOPMENTS 179 


please don’t,” interrupted the widow, 
catching the meaning of the unspoken part 
of his sentence from the face of the speaker, 
^^I’m so happy to think that Dick is innocent 
that I can forgive her everything; and then, 
too, she no doubt thought he was guilty when 
she whipt him.” 

^^Thought ’e wus guilty!” snorted the old 
man, ^^she’s paid fur knowM they’re guilty, er 
else keepin’ ’er ban’s off uv ’em ! She orter hev 
a lesson.” 

^‘1 would much rather you wouldn’t do any- 
thing or say anything to her on our account, 
Mr. Beman,” remonstrated the widow. “Dick’s 
back will soon be well, and it will all be over. 
I know she wouldn’t have done it if she hadn’t 
thought he was guilty. Even now, tho I am 
sure he is innocent, I can’t imagine how that 
knife came to be in his pocket.” 

“Wus Sam Turpin there?” askt the old man, 
with a fierce gleam in his eyes. 

“I do not know — yes, yes he was, for I re- 
member now that Ester said he lookt at them 


180 


DICK HALEY 


and grinned as they came out of the room after 
the whipping/’ answered the widow, with a 
perceptible shudder. 

‘^I’d bet my hat agin a straw in the moon ’at 
thet low-down, dirty pup could tell jes’ how’t 
come there. — But I ’spect I’d better be agoin’, 
if thet wus all ye wanted t’see me ’bout.” 

^That is all, Mr. Beman ; only I do not know 
how I shall succeed in getting Dick to go back 
to school. But I will try again tomorrow.” 

^^I’ll hev some work fur ’im Saturday, Mrs. 
Haley. Sen’ ’im over right after breakfus’, an’ 
I’ll git a chance sometime durin’ the day t’talk 
to ’im ’bout it, an’ we’ll see what we can do,” 
said the old man, as he mounted his horse. 

can’t tell you how thankful I am, Mr. Be- 
man. Good-bye.” 

^^Good-bye,” answered the old man, as he 
rode off down the road. He allowed old Tom 
to take an easy trot, in order to make up part 
of the time he had lost. 

Mr. Beman was thoroughly workt up, and, 
as usual, was muttering to himself as he jogged 


FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS 181 


along the road. As he approach! the school- 
house he could see that it was recess. Miss 
Benson had for some reason run over to her 
boarding place, across the road from the school- 
house, and was returning as Mr. Beman came 
up. She happened to cross the road just in 
front of him. 

^^Good morning, Mr. Beman,’’ said the school- 
ma’am, with composed grace. 

^^Mornin’, Miss Benson,” replied the old 
farmer. He could not resist the temptation to 
speak further with her, and he added; “Jes’ a 
word. Miss Benson.” 

^^Certainly,” replied the teacher, turning, and 
bowing slightly. 

“I jes’ hearn ’bout yer whippin’ the widder 
Haley’s boy yesterday.” 

^^Yes?” responded Miss Benson, pertly. 

^What’d ye whip ’im fur?” bluntly askt the 
old man. 

punisht him for stealing and lying,” re- 
plied the young woman, a little curtly. 

^^Are ye sure ’e stold an’ lied?” 


182 


DICK HALEY 


you suppose I would have punisht him 
before I was?’’ pertly replied the teacher, her 
bright eyes growing brighter. 

^Thet’s jes’ what I think ye did,” replied the 
old man, quite as sarcastically. 

^^Have you talkt with any one except his 
mother about it?” askt Miss Benson, sharply. 

^^No,” admitted the other. 

^^It’s natural for her to try to cover up his 
guilt,” scornfully replied the teacher. ^^She 
has also kept him and the little girl out of 
school today. That’s the way children are 
spoiled. Foolish parents side with them 
against the teacher, when she has to punish 
them, and take them out of school.” 

^^Thet’s where ye’re mistaken,” said the old 
man, decidedly. the one thet sided with 

Dick ; not her. She tried t’make ’im come back 
t’school, but ’e wouldn’t do it. She didn’t side 
agin ye at all; she’s the mos’ furgivin’ess per- 
son I ever seen. W’en I seen thet chil’s back 
jes’ a little while ago where ye’d whipt ’im — ” 
He suddenly stopt, as if choking down an ut- 


FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS 183 


terance, ^^well, we won’t talk ’bout thet now. — 
How’d ye know ’e stole the knife?” 

“I found it in his pocket,” retorted the teach- 
er. 

^^Couldn’t ’e ’ave ’ad it in ’is pocket without 
stealW it?” 

suppose he could,” coldly replied the 
teacher, ‘^but he told me a lie about it ; he said 
he didn’t have it.” 

^^Couldn’t it ’a’ been in ’is pocket without ’is 
knowin’ it?” 

suppose it could , replied the angry teach- 
er, with the most extreme sarcasm. 

It was too much for the old man. His eyes 
flasht fire, and, leaning toward her, he half 
hist; 

^^Then what the devil — er — ’sense me — er— 
durn it, she’s gone !” And she was. Miss Ben- 
son had suddenly turned on her heel, and fair- 
ly flitted into the school-room. ‘^Reckon the 
nex’ gossip’ll be ’at ol’ Dave Beman’s been cus- 
sin’ th’ school-marm. Git up, Tom,” and he 
gave the old horse a terrific kick in the side. 


184 


DICK HALEY 


^Whaop!’’ Old Tom nearly jumpt from un- 
der him, he barely saving himself a hard seat 
in the road by catching the saddle. Sense 
me, Tom. I thought it wus her — er, blame it, 
no — I wouldn’t ’a’ kickt her , — Doggone it, any- 
way I’m sorry, Tom,” said the old man, pat- 
ting the frightened horse on the neck. Tom 
was snorting, and fairly treading the air. It 
was the first time in his long life that he had 
felt his master’s heavy heel. ^^I’m awful sorry, 
Tom ; don’ know what on arth made me do it.” 
The old man continued apologizing to the sur- 
prised horse, stroking him lovingly on the neck 
as he went on down the road. Old Tom had 
quieted down again, but he occasionally drew 
a long breath, and turned his eye to make sure 
there was no battering-ram attached to his 
side. 


CHAPTER XII. 


WITH INTENT TO KILL. 

Dick Haley’s school days were ended, and 
that at the age of nine. Mr. Beman’s advice, 
persuasion and argument could not shake the 
determination of the lad. The widow resorted 
to every means she could invent, but her best 
efforts were of no avail, and she finally — tho 
not for a long time — gave up in despair. Dick 
would work, but he would never go to school 
again. At first Mrs. Haley felt that she could 
not — could not be reconciled to the thought of 
her only boy’s growing up without the educa- 
tion the free schools of her country were offer- 
ing. Had she been offered a choice between 
a common-school education and a fortune for 
her child, she would without hesitation have 


186 


DICK HALEY 


chosen the former. But reason, promises, 
pleading, — all were of no use. Nothing could 
change the stubborn determination of the child. 
And yet there was something in Dick’s refusal 
more pathetic than aggravating. He didn’t ar- 
gue the case; he simply shook his head, and 
said no with a mixture of determination, resig- 
nation and desperation that made it final, 
child though he was. 

Mrs. Haley received little sympathy, but 
much censure, throughout the community. 
What with the children’s report and what with 
the teacher’s account of the punishment of 
Dick, the story was about uniform as it cir- 
culated through the neighborhood: Dick had 
been punisht pretty severely, but none too se- 
verely. Henry True should not have inter- 
fered. The little lying thief should have been 
compelled to confess, — ^however severe the nec- 
essary punishment. True he was fatherless 
and his mother was poor, but that was the 
more reason for rigid discipline; — in fact, one 
object of the public school system was to sup- 


WITH INTENT TO KILL 


187 


ply the correction and discipline that the home 
lackt. The widow in humoring him was ruin- 
ing him. She should have known that the 
teacher’s judgment was better than hers, and 
sent him back to school. There he should have 
been dealt with with a strong hand, until he 
was reformed, — if such a character could be 
reformed, etc. 

Fortunately, or unfortunately, as it may 
have been, Mrs. Haley knew little of the gossip 
and consequent public sentiment about her. 
She had little time to visit with her neighbors, 
for she was engaged in an almost desperate 
struggle to provide for her family; and then, 
even when she did occasionally find opportu- 
nity for a short visit, this subject was purpose- 
ly mutually avoided. 

Even had the widow known the esteem — or 
lack of esteem — in which she was held by her 
neighbor women, this would have occasioned 
her far less concern and sorrow than did the 
present course of Dick’s life. While Dick was 
disobedient in no particular save his refusal 


188 


DICK HALEY 


to return to school, yet he rendered a formal, 
indifferent obedience that was to her almost 
as painful as would have been a positive dis- 
obedience. 

From the outside world, Dick met with icy 
looks of disgust or frowns of scorn, for all the 
neighborhood knew of his shameful guilt, and 
despised him for his shameless effrontery. But 
all this served to accomplish nothing with the 
lad more than to harden his heart still more, 
and deepen his resolution and new purpose in 
life. He wasi growing sullen and reserved. He 
seldom spoke first, and when he spoke at all, it 
was usually in monosyllables. The scorn and 
contempt of the world he met with a look of 
calm indifference, tho in the back ground of 
his steady gaze there was a ^^don’t-tread-on me” 
expression, which, in case of open insult, sud- 
denly leapt to the foreground. A taunt was an- 
swered with a shot of profanity, and an at- 
tempted injury with any means of violence at 
his hand. He had no friends save a very few, 
and he was bidding for none. 


WITH INTENT TO KILL 


189 


Occasionally Dick secured here and there lit- 
tle jobs of work, by means of which he earned 
a little money. Fully two-thirds of such work 
was secured from his old friend, Mr. Beman, 
who, whenever he had work a boy of Dick’s 
size could do, invariably gave Dick the prefer- 
ence. His mother permitted him to keep his 
small earnings, and he used them in the main 
to buy clothing. He was not a spendthrift ; in 
fact, about the only unnecessary investment he 
made was in a large single-bladed pocket-knife. 
This knife was selected, after a lengthy and 
careful examination of a number of pocket- 
knives, with special reference to the length, 
shape and metal of the blade. It was a long, 
sharp-pointed blade, of excellent metal; and 
it cost him his savings of an entire month — 
11.25. Dick took especial pleasure in this 
knife, spending much of his time whittling 
with it, or admiring its qualities. He kept it 
in perfect condition, and its edge as keen as 
a razor. 

At the age of twelve, Dick was a boy of more 


190 


DICK HALEY 


than average size, square built and muscular, 
— ^much after the type of his father. He had 
formed the habit of chewing tobacco, he had 
tasted whiskey, and once had been drunk, and 
profanity was natural to him. I say natural, 
by which I mean that, unlike most boys’ awk- 
ward efforts at acquiring the ability to swear, 
Dick’s oaths came to him without apparent ef- 
fort and unstudied. The explanation was this : 
a new principle had entered into his life, had 
become a part of him, and its natural and only 
expression was profanity. It was not so much 
the profanity that was wrong as the new prin- 
ciple that had entered into his life, and to try 
to remedy the one without first I’emoving the 
other was as senseless as to try to cure a tum- 
or by treatment of the skin. 

The spring Dick was twelve years old he had 
secured a five days’ job of dropping corn for 
Mr. Beman. He had finisht the job at noon on 
Saturday, and wanted to go to town in the 
afternoon. Mr. Beman very kindly told him 
he could have a horse to ride, and Dick gladly 


WITH INTENT TO KILL 


191 


accepted the offer. As he rode into town, he no- 
ticed a considerable number of men and boys 
collected in front of the Post Office. In the 
group was his old enemy, Sam Turpin, who 
was now a regular loafer on the streets, save 
when he occasionally did a few days’ work to 
supply his pockets with necessary spending 
money. Dick merely glanced at the crowd as 
he past, but noticed that nearly all were ob- 
serving him. He naturally and correctly in- 
ferred that he had been the subject of a dis- 
cussion, or of a remark by some one in the 
group. But he turned his face straight ahead 
again, as he rode on. 

“Hallo there, Turkey Egg! Reckon ye hain’t 
got no pearl-handled knives ’bout ye no- 
w^heres ?” 

Dick cast a steady, but quick, glance at his 
old hated enemy. It was the first taunt he had 
had from him since he left school, which was 
three years ago. Then he turned his face 
ahead, and rode on, to all outward appearance 
unconcerned and unaffected. Some of the 


192 


DICK HALEY 


group laught; some lookt steadily at the lad 
to note the effect of this reminder of his shame 
and guilt; a few lookt at him in pity, and in- 
wardly scorned the brutal bully for cruelly re- 
minding him of his disgrace, and thus again 
bringing him into public contempt. 

Dick rode up to the hitch-rack, a block farth- 
er on, in front of the blacksmith shop, and, 
dismounting, tied his horse. He walkt around 
behind the shop to the enclosure where the 
refuse iron, etc., was scattered and piled. 
When he returned to the street there was that 
same strange gleam in his eyes that had so 
startled and grieved his mother when, on the 
first morning after his whipping at school, he 
had declared he would be a murderer before 
he would submit to another whipping. Dick 
crossed the street, and walkt straight down to- 
ward the group of men and boys in front of 
the Post Office. His freckled, sun-browned face 
wore no sign of shame, but his cheek showed 
less blood than usual, his jaw was rigidly set, 
and his lips were firmly comprest. He was 


WITH INTENT TO KILL 


193 


walking erect, his hands in his coat pockets, his 
eyes directly ahead, apparently fixed on the 
center of the group in front of the Post Office. 
Evidently he was again the subject of some re- 
mark or remarks in the gathering ahead of him, 
as most of their faces were turned toward him, 
and the grins and smiles discernible on their 
faces as he approacht were somewhat sugges- 
tive of the nature of the remarks. As Dick en- 
tered the group, some gave way for him, and 
he crowded past others, and, entering the Post 
Office, walkt up to the window, and askt; 

^^Is there any mail for us?’’ 

“Nuthin’ for ye, young feller,” replied the 
post master, after he had run through the list 
in the box. 

With his hands still in his coat pockets, Dick 
turned and walkt out. In crowding his way 
through the assembly on the walk outside the 
office, he past almost within touching distance 
of Sam Turpin, who was standing at the edge 
of the crowd. 


194 


DICK HALEY 


there, 'Spec’ I” domineeringly bawled 
the bully, as Dick approacht him. 

Without stopping or checking his speed, Dick 
shot a quick, fierce glance straight into the face 
of the bully, — a glance that contained anything 
but fear, the glance of a tiger when it is with- 
held by some unknown power from leaping 
upon a hated foe, a glance that to a less blunt 
perception than Sam Turpin’s would have 
meant far more than it did. As quickly the 
lad withdrew his eyes from the face of his 
loathed enemy, and again directed them 
straight before him. 

Stung into a subdued rage by the calm, in- 
different boldness of the despised lad, the bully 
determined to tantalize his victim to a point 
beyond endurance. 

^^Didn’t ye get no mail, Turkey Egg? — 
’Spect ye’s lookin’ fur a wholesale price-list 
on pearl-handled knives, wasn’t ye?” sneered 
the bully, taking a step or two in the direction 
Dick was going. 

It must be remembered that Sam Turpin 


WITH INTENT TO KILL 


195 


was now just past twenty-one years of age. 
He was large and powerfully built. He was 
feared by those of his own low moral standard, 
and despised by most others that knew him. 

^^Let him alone. He isn’t bothering you, 
Sam,” came good-naturedly from a man in the 
crowd. 

Sam Turpin turned toward the speaker, half 
in curiosity, half in resentment; but a sudden 
action of Dick quickly drew his attention again 
to him. Dick had stopt, and wheeled about. 
As he did so, he drew both hands from his 
pockets. Like a flash his right hand swung 
through the air, and with a force surprising 
for his age and size he hurled a nugget of iron 
or steel about half the size of his fist straight 
at the head of the bully. Turpin instinctively 
dodged, but the proximity of his assailant 
(they were less than five paces apart) and the 
swiftness of the projectile made the effort fu- 
tile; and the heavy, rough -edged missle struck 
him on the cheek, cutting an ugly gash, from 
which the blood flowed. The blow staggered 


196 


DICK HALEY 


the bully, but did not knock him down; and, 
with a burst of profanity, he rushed, half blind 
with rage, at Dick. With a celerity that evad- 
ed the eye of most of the onlookers, Dick trans- 
ferred from his left hand to his right a long- 
bladed, sharp-pointed, keen-edged knife. 

^^Look out ! He’s got a knife !” shouted some 
one in the crowd; but Turpin in his ungovern- 
able rage heard nothing, and saw nothing but 
the helpless object of his fury. 

Dick stood his ground, with no thought of 
fleeing or flinching. His chest was heaving, 
the hand that held the knife was slightly 
poised, and his gleaming eyes were watching 
every movement of his onrushing assailant. 
When there remained but a single bound be- 
tween them, Dick sprang forward, and struck 
with all his might as far as his arm would 
reach ; but his knife barely grazed the ruffian’s 
shirt. At the same instant the powerful fist 
of the ruffian smote the child in the face with 
a terrible blow that sent his body flying, tum- 
bling, rolling, and left it lying limp across the 


WITH INTENT TO KILL 


197 


side-walk. Dick made no effort to rise, and 
the spectators supposed he was knockt uncon- 
scious or helpless. Tho the blow he had re- 
ceived would have knockt senseless a boy less 
sturdy and determined, yet Dick, tho the blood 
was flowing from his nostrils and his head 
throbbed as if it would burst, was by no means 
unconscious, as he lay there, the hand holding 
the knife half hidden under his motionless 
body, his eyes still alert and flashing with that 
serpent-like gleam. 

Insane with rage, the frenzied ruffian sprang 
upon the helpless child, and raised his mighty 
hand to smash his defenseless face. There is 
little doubt that the maddened brute would 
have murdered the child had he not 
been prevented. Becoming suddenly conscious 
of this, some in the crowd of spectators start- 
ed forward to rescue the child. To Dick, the 
calmly calculated moment had come. He had 
forgotten himself and his danger. He was en- 
tirely overwhelmed with the burning desire for 
revenge. He cared little how badly he might 


198 


DICK HALEY 


be hurt, and scarcely more that he might be 
killed, if he could but be revenged upon his 
hated enemy. He well knew there was but 
one chance in many that he should have reacht 
him with his knife as he rushed upon him, but 
now — the coveted moment had come. With a 
sudden effort Dick freed his right arm, and 
with a short quick stroke he thrust the long, 
sharp, pointed blade of his knife to the han- 
dle into the side of his assailant, just as the 
heavy fist smote him in the face. A mad yell 
of rage and pain burst from the throat of the 
bully. The terrific blow had blinded Dick and 
half paralyzed his sensibilities, yet so intent 
was he upon his murderous purpose that before 
his assailant could rise he had driven the blade 
a second time at full length into his side. Sam 
Turpin leapt to his feet, and with another yell 
of pain and rage rusht into the crowd of spec- 
tators, and, supported reeling among them, 
was led toward the drug store. 

Dick made an effort to rise, but his head fell 
back with a thud upon the side-walk. The 


WITH INTENT TO KILL 


199 


blood was running from his mouth and nos- 
trils. He felt some one catch him by the arm, 
and raise him to a sitting position. Then some 
one else took his other arm, and between them 
they lifted him to his feet. But his legs were 
limp, and would not support him; and his 
bleeding head hung helpless on his breast. 
They half carried, half dragged him into the 
restaurant in front of which he was lying. 
Then everything swam before him, and for a 
few minutes he knew no more. When sensi- 
bility returned, he was conscious that they 
were washing the blood from his face. With 
his consciousness returned that burning hell- 
ish hope, and he askt feebly; 

^^Did I kill him?’^ 

Yes; poor Dick Haley, at the age of but 
twelve, was a murderer. Tho Sam Turpin, af- 
ter lingering for weeks between life and death, 
finally recovered from his wounds, neverthe- 
less Dick Haley was a murderer. But how 
came he so? He was not born a murderer. 
Who made him a murderer? — Dick’s teacher 


200 


DICK HALEY 


made him a murderer. When? On that day 
when she refused the flowers his innocent 
hands had gathered, — on that day of the terri- 
ble flogging; — on that day Dick Haley’s teach- 
er robbed her state of a true and useful citizen, 
and gave it, instead, a murderer. 


CHAPTER XIII. 


DICK^S LAST ENCOUNTER. 

When I began writing this story it was my 
intention to write the full account of Dick 
Haley’s life ; but the remainder of his life is so 
full of incidents — thrilling, dangerous and des- 
perate — that the necessary details would make 
the volume inconveniently large, and would 
add little to the accomplishment of my pur- 
pose ; and I shall therefore glide rapidly along 
the foot-hills of that rugged human experience, 
and bring my reader quickly to the end. 

Broken by the heavy burden of toil her du- 
ties laid upon her, her heart yielding gradu- 
ally to the cruel clutch of maternal anxiety for 
her boy, Dick’s mother died when he was fif- 
teen. In the midst of a howling November 


202 


DICK HALEY 


storm, at midnight, her life went out. Her 
last words were words of love and admonition 
and counsel to her children; and when her 
breath became so weak she could no longer 
speak, she lay for a moment looking into their 
faces ; then her eyes rested lovingly on the pic- 
ture of little Freddie, hanging on the wall, then 
on Dick; and then they seemed to look out 
through the dark window into the raging 
storm. A troubled look struggled for a place 
on her saintly face, then went — and came — and 
went. Was she thinking of the little grave out 
there in the storm, the grave of her last born, 
beside which she soon would rest? Was she 
thinking of the day she laid him there? Was 
she wishing — if it were not sin to wish was 
she almost wishing that she might also have 
laid her first-born there that day — that day, 
before the awful change had come over him— 
that day, before his soul had been blackened 
with sin? Gratefully and lovingly the eyes of 
the patient rested an instant upon each of the 
few faces in the little room. The last face 


DICK^S LAST ENCOUNTER 


203 


her eyes lookt upon (unless it were the face of 
God) was the face of her child — her wayward 
son. Then her eyes turned upward, as in pray- 
er. Her lips moved silently. — ^^¥as her last 
breath a prayer for Dick? 

The doctor nodded slightly to old Mrs. Be- 
man, who was standing at the foot of the bed, 
watching first the face of the patient and then 
V that of the doctor. She stood a moment, as if 
trying to control herself, and then turning to 
the orphan children she said; 

^^Dear children, you have no mother now, — 
but — I will try — to be — a mother to you.’’ 

The passionate cries of Ester mingled con- 
gruously with the loudly wailing winds of the 
storm. Dick’s lip quivered, and for an instant 
tears filled his eyes. Then again he seemed to 
recover that mysterious, quiet self-control ; and 
he sat silent, that calm, far-away look in his 
eyes, and a sad deep meditation resting on his 
brow. If I could but read those silent thoughts 
they would not only add interest to this his- 


204 


DICK HALEY 


tory, but they might reveal more clearly the 
secret of a ruined life. 

Mr. Beman voluntarily promised the widow 
on her death-bed that he would take her chil- 
dren to his own home, and provide for them. 
He kept his promise, but, tho he was kind to 
them both, Dick determined to leave his old 
home, and ‘^go West’’. This he did, against 
the advice and wishes of his old benefactor, 
less than a year after the death of his mother. 
It seemed to Ester that her heart would break 
as they parted at the gate of Mr. Beman’s 
yard, and she returned alone into the house. 
Every day she watched for a letter, but the 
promised letters never came. Days sped into 
weeks, and weeks into months, and months into 
years — but no news came of the prodigal 
brother. Mr. Beman’s efforts to secure some 
clue to his whereabouts all failed. I do not 
know how often Ester sat alone in her room 
at night, and lookt out at the silent, watchful 
stars, and wondered whether they might at 
that moment be looking down somewhere upon 


DICK’S LAST ENCOUNTER 


205 


her brother, or whether it might chance that 
at that very moment somewhere Dick might 
be looking at the very star toward which her 
eyes were gazing; and at the thought her heart 
would swell with a love she could not express. 
How oft in tears she prayed for him I do not 
know; but her sad, sweet face seemed a con- 
stant prayer for him. Sometimes when she 
past the little house that used to be their home, 
and saw the familiar nooks where she used to 
play, she was seized by an almost overwhelm- 
ing longing for those happy days again, for 
Dick with his merry laugh, his ringing shout, 
his true, confiding heart, — her hero, — Dick, as 
he used to be before that awful change came 
over him (and she shuddered at the thought). 
Once she opened the door of the old house, and 
entered, half wondering if she would not meet 
her mother there. She was not afraid. She 
went into each of the rooms, half expecting to 
find Dick somewhere there. But all was still, 
— only the mocking bird was singing from the 
old tree the songs she and Dick used to love. 


206 


DICK HALEY 


Ten years had come and gone since Dick 
left his old home, and brought and taken with 
them. Two stately marble slabs mark the 
resting place of old Mr. and Mrs. Beman. Ester 
was now a wife and mother. 

Those ten years of Dick^s life were never 
known to his sister or the inhabitants of his 
native town, nor shall I reveal their somber 
secrets now. Twice he was arraigned before 
the police courts of Denver, where he first ^^land- 
ed.’’ Then he went deeper into the mountains, 
into those reckless, desperate mining towns. 
No society was too wild for him, no undertak- 
ing too dangerous. He became the roughest 
of the rough, and one of the most daring and 
reckless of the daredevils of those regions. He 
was given much to drink, and more to gam- 
bling and profanity. His whole faith and trust 
seemed to be in his revolver, with which he had 
become an expert. Thrice he had changed his 
name to escape detection. Four of those ten 
years he had served under an assumed name 


DICK’S LAST ENCOUNTER 


207 


in a penitentiary of the Rocky Mountains — 
but more I shall not tell. 

It had been ten years since Dick Haley had 
been seen on the street of his native village. 
He was almost forgotten. It was Christmas 
eve. The earth was white with a coat of new- 
ly fallen snow. The air was sharp and biting. 
A number of men had collected in the little 
restaurant. It was the same into which Dick 
had been carried the day of his desperate en- 
counter with his hated enemy, Sam Turpin. 
Evidently the matter of conversation was of 
some general interest. 

^^No question ’bout it,” said the proprietor 
of the r-estaurant, leaning over his counter, and 
evidently answering some objection to a pre^ 
vious statement, ^die ate his supper right there 
at that table where you are sitting.” 

^^Did you know him when he first came in?” 
askt one of the four men sitting around a ta- 
ble, eating hot oyster stews. 

^^Never dreamed who he was till I’d fried his 
steak an’ eggs, an’ put ’em on the table be- 


208 


DICK HALEY 


fore him, an’ then he lookt up an’ says, ^Guess 
you don’t remember me, Jim?’ I lookt at him 
an’ says, Well, that’s the name I answer to 
all right, an’ there’s somethin’ kinder familiar 
in yer face, but I reckon I’ll have to admit ’at 
you’ve picked up the scent ahead uv me fur 
once, pard.’ An’ then he tol’ me who he wus.” 

^^How long has he been in town?” askt the 
questioner at the table. 

^^Just came in on the mail hack this evenin’,” 
replied the restaurant keeper. 

^Where’d he go?” 

^^Over to the saloon.” 

^Wall,” said a grizzly-bearded old man, sit- 
ting near the stove, with his feet propt up on 
the table, and a clay pipe in his mouth, ^^ef ’e 
ain’t changed frum w’at ’e ust ter be, tha’ll 
likely be trouble in town ’fore ’e leaves.” 

^Well, he looks like a feller ’at wouldn’t 
mind a little of it now an’ then,” volunteered 
the proprietor, ^^an’ judgin’ frum a scar ’at 
reaches clean across one side uv his face, I 


DICK’S LAST ENCOUNTER 


209 


reckon he’s been havin’ some exper’ance ’long 
that line since ’e left yere.” 

^^Reckon he’s forgot his experience with Sam 
Turpin?” askt a middle aged man from the 
group near the door. 

^^’Tain’t likely a feller’d forget an exper’ance 
like that very quick,” answered the restaurant- 
keeper; helpt to carry ’im into this very 
room after the scrap, an’ I tell you he wus 
about all in.” 

‘^Guess he wasn’t any nearer ‘all in’ than 
Sam, was he?” suggested the man at the door. 

“You bet your life he wasn’t,” heartily re- 
plied the keeper of the restaurant, with an em- 
phatic nod of his head. 

“When did all that happen?” askt a neatly 
drest young man, leaning on the show-case, a 
cigar in his mouth. 

“O, that must ’a’ been eight or ten years 
ago,” replied the proprietor, thoughtfully. 

“ ‘Eight ur ten year ago’ !” scornfully re- 
peated the old man with the clay pipe, “it’s 
ben thirteen year ago las’ April.” 


210 


DICK HALEY 


expect Uncle Zeke^s right/’ good-natured- 
ly replied the other. 

^^Tell us about it/’ said the young man with 
the cigar. 

expect Uncle Zeke could tell it a good 
deal better’n I could,” replied the other. 

^^Tell it, Uncle Zeke,” said the young man, 
approaching the one addrest. 

‘"Yes,” “Yes,” “Do it,” “Tell it,” came from 
various members of the collecting, expectant 
audience. 

Uncle Zeke, delighted almost beyond con- 
trol at the distinction thus paid him and at 
the prospect of relating to so distinguisht and 
large an audience so important an event in 
the history of the little village of which he was 
the oldest living citizen, put forth his utmost 
efforts to manifest an absolute indifference, 
and to impress his eager audience that the 
matter was almost hopelessly below his digni- 
fied condescension. He took the clay pipe from 
his mouth, and deliberately knockt the ashes 
from its bowl. Holding the empty pipe invert- 


DICK’S LAST ENCOUNTER 


211 


ed in his hand, he slowly turned his face to- 
ward the stove, and spit at the hearth. Tap- 
ping his pipe again on the edge of the table, 
he quite as deliberately put it into his coat pock- 
et. Taking his feet from the table, he turned 
directly facing the stove and his audience ; and, 
catching his right leg with both hands, he, 
tediously and with a rheumatic grunt or two, 
placed it over his left knee. 

^Wall,” began the old man at last, “I reck- 
in ez I know ’bout’s much ’bout thet little 
’fair’s any one, bein’s I’s right thar, an’ seen 
the hull thing with me own eyes. Yassar, I 
seen the hull thing, frum start t’ finish.” 

With the assistance of his hands, the old 
man slowly removed his leg from across his 
knee, and straightening it at full length so as 
to give easy access to his right trousers pock- 
et. He deliberately thrust his hand to the 
bottom of his pocket, and quite as de- 
liberately drew out a small piece of a 
plug of tobacco. He held it before his calm 
gaze for a moment, then turned it entirely 


212 


DICK HALEY 


around twice, seeking its most vincible point 
of attack. Having determined that, like a good 
general he took a careful observation before 
making the attack. After having gnawed off 
(with considerable tediousness, owing to the 
scarceness of his teeth) a corner of the plug, 
he replaced the remainder where he had got 
it, with the same deliberation. Then not 
less deliberately, and with a grunt of 
distress, he lifted his leg back to its posi- 
tion. Before proceeding with his account of 
the fight, for which his audience was eagerly 
waiting, he compelled his impatient listeners 
to wait until he had taken three or four chews 
at his tobacco, and spit at the hearth. Then 
he proceeded. 

^Wall, ez I wus sayin’, I seed the hull thing 
frum start t^ finish.’’ Here Uncle Zeke stopt 
again to chew his tobacco, and spit at the 
stove-hearth. The young man with the cigar 
shrugged his shoulders, and, in a tone not loud 
enough to be heard by Uncle Zeke, mentioned 
the name of the future abode of the lost. 


DICK’S LAST ENCOUNTER 


213 


^^Yassar, I seed the hull thing frum start t’ 
finish wi’ me own eyes/’ began the old man 
again, much after the manner of a child with 
but one stick of candy, eager to eat it, but re- 
straining himself, because conscious that with 
the devouring of the candy will go the un- 
speakable pleasure of eating it. But at last 
and much to the relief of the high tension on 
the patience of his listeners. Uncle Zeke came 
to his story; and, like the boy whose irresisti- 
ble appetite has finally overcome his consider- 
ation of his future happiness to the extent that 
he ceases nibbling at his stick of candy, and 
takes a bite, and then ravenously devours the 
whole stick, so Uncle Zeke, when he had at last 
come to his story, entered upon the narration 
of it with an interest and an animation that 
held the rapt attention of his hearers, and 
made the speaker neglect his tobacco and the 
stove-hearth. 

^^Sam ’ud have a difrent proposition now,” 
ventured the restaurant keeper, after the old 
man had finisht his thrilling narration. 


214 


DICK HALEY 


^Would, eh?” askt one of the men who had 
been seated at the oyster-table, but who, hav- 
ing flnisht his stew, had come forward to lis- 
ten to Uncle Zeke’s narration. 

^^You bet yer life,” heartily responded the 
other; ‘‘Dick Haley’s ev’ry inch of six feet, 
an’ he ain’t an ounce under two hundred, an’ 
he’s built like a prize-fighter.” 

“Is Sam over at the saloon ?” askt some one. 

“’Spect ’e is; he’s gener’ly there this time 
o’night, when ’e ain’t in bed,” replied the pro- 
prietor. 

The young man with the cigar turned, and 
started toward the door. The suggestion was 
all that was needed, and soon half of those as- 
sembled in the restaurant had poured out 
through the door, and crost the street to the 
saloon. No sooner had the door closed be- 
hind the last that went out than it opened 
again, and two well-drest men entered. Evi- 
dently they had been waiting outside until the 
file had past, so that they could enter. The 
man in front was large, strongly built, 


DICK’S LAST ENCOUNTER 


215 


clean shaven and intelligent looking. He 
wore a fur cap, pulled well down over his ears, 
a heavy overcoat, the collar turned up and 
closely buttoned, and a pair of heavy driving 
gloves. The other man was drest much the 
same. 

^^Good-evening, gentlemen,” said the leader, 
as they advanced toward the stove. 

There was a general response, for the large 
man was readily recognized as the big sheriff 
of Jackson County, and the other as his dep- 
uty. Removing their gloves, the men shook 
hands around, and then, hanging their coats 
and caps on the hooks on the wall, returned to 
the stove, and stood over it warming, and rub- 
bing their hands, at the same time exchanging 
remarks with the company. The proprietor 
came around from behind the counter, and 
stirred the fire, and replenisht the fuel. 

“What have you got to eat, Jim?” askt the 
sheriff, addressing the restaurant keeper. 

“Well, I can give you ham an’ eggs, or steak, 
or oysters most any style,” replied the other. 


216 


DICK HALEY 


^Whafll you have, Bruce?’’ askt the sheriff, 
turning to his companion. 

take ham and eggs — up,” replied his 
companion. 

‘^Two ham and eggs, straight up,” said the 
sheriff; and as the keeper of the restaurant 
started to the kitchen to prepare the order, he 
turned to the others, and askt; ^^Anything 
special on tonight? We noticed quite a gang 
headed for the saloon as we came in.” 

The sheriff’s question led to a discussion of 
the arrival of Dick Haley and a rehearsal of 
his past life. The clock had struck ten. The 
thick frost collecting on the window-panes 
told of the biting cold outside. The sheriff and 
his deputy had been out on business, and were 
on their way back to the county-seat, and had 
stopt in to get their supper, and to warm. 

^^All right, gentlemen; here’s yer ham an’ 
eggs,” announced the proprietor. 

The two men had just risen, and started to 
the table, when the attention of all was called 
to an excited and rapid tramping of feet on 


DICK’S LAST ENCOUNTER 


217 


the loose board walk in front of the restau- 
rant. The door was thrust open, and three 
men rushed in, one hatless, and all excited. 

“Sheriff,” shouted the leader, “Bill wants 
you to come right over to the s’loon. They’s 
goin’ to be trouble.” 

“Hurry,” shouted one of the others, “ur 
somebody’ll get hurt. They’s goin’ t’ be shoot- 
in’.” 

“Bill” Smith was the owner of the saloon, 
and evidently he had been informed by some 
of those that had past the sheriff at the res- 
taurant door of the latter’s arrival. The sher- 
iff turned, and walkt quickly to where his coat 
and cap were hanging. Snatching his cap 
from the hook, he put it on ; and thrusting his 
hand into his overcoat pocket, he drew out a 
large Colt’s revolver. In an undertone he ex- 
changed a quick word with his deputy, and 
then led the way out of the restaurant and 
across the street to the saloon, closely followed 
by his deputy and all the others in the restau- 
rant, Uncle Zeke rheumatically bringing up 


218 


DICK HALEY 


the rear. The lights were shining dimly 
through the curtained windows of the saloon. 
It was the same in which Dick Haley’s 
father had been killed just twenty -three years 
before. As the sheriff sprang upon the walk 
in front of the saloon, it was apparent that 
there was a row inside. Above the rumble and 
roar of voices was heard angry oaths and 
loud imprecations. Then the rattle of glass, 
and the crashing of furniture . — Cracky rang 
out the report of a pistol. — Crack, Crack, 
came in quick response. 

‘‘Quick,” shouted the sheriff, over his shoul- 
der, to his deputy behind him, as he sprang 
for the door. But the door opened just before 
he reacht it; and with the close, hot, poison- 
ous atmosphere of the saloon, laden with the 
sickening odors of beer, whiskey and tobacco 
smoke, came pouring out the crowd of pushing, 
shouting, swearing, excited men. Twice the 
big sheriff tried to force his way, but twice 
was forced back by the surging mass. 

“Let me in there!” he roared at the top of 


DICK’S LAST ENCOUNTER 


219 


his voice, but he might as well have exercised 
his authority to check an avalanche. “Let me 
in there!” again he shouted, and throwing his 
heavy shoulder to the door, the third time he 
sprang with all his power into the struggling 
mass. This time he succeeded in gaining the 
floor, and, hurling men backward, and casting 
them right and left, he made his way through 
the crowding mass; but he was alone, for the 
deputy, in spite of his utmost efforts, had been 
swept back. The scene that lay before him, 
to his trained eye, quickly told the tale : almost 
at his feet in a pool of his own blood lay the 
lifeless burly body of Sam Turpin, his right 
hand still grasping a revolver. A few feet 
away lay the body of another man, not dead, 
but writhing in pain as the blood flowed from 
a ragged hole in his forehead. Near him lay 
another revolver. In the rear of the room 
stood Dick Haley, a smoking weapon in his 
hand, his broad-brimmed hat on the back of his 
head, his eyes flashing fire, his face flusht with 
drink. 


220 


DICK HALEY 


^^Throw up your hands!” shouted the sher- 
iff, as he leveled his revolver at Dick’s breast. 

Bang, came the answer. The words were 
scarcely out of the sheriff’s mouth, when Dick 
Haley, without taking time to raise his weap- 
on to the level of his eye, fired; but for once 
his drunken arm had failed him, and the sher- 
iff heard and felt the leaden death-messenger 
hiss past his ear. There was no time for par- 
leying. The same instant the report from the 
weapon in the sheriff’s hand rang out. Dick 
Haley gaspt, threw up his hands, reeled, and 
then fell at full length on the fioor of the sa- 
loon. A single struggle, and he was dead. The 
aim of the sheriff had been true. The ball had 
pierced his heart. 

Yes, Dick Haley was dead. The sheriff’s face 
turned pale, as he bent over him, and a film 
dimmed his eyes as he turned away. But there 
is another that I want to look upon him there ; 
and that is Dick’s teacher. Ah ! look, teacher, 
look upon that lifeless form as it lies there. 
Do you see that brutal face? It was once the 



The aim of the sheriff ^ras true 






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4 




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DICK'S LAST ENCOUNTER 


221 


honest, freckled face that lookt up to you for 
a smile, a kiss, a word of encouragement; and 
you brutalized it with a frown, a sneer and an 
icy look. Do you see those glaring eyes, half 
closed in death? They were once the inno- 
cent, blue eyes that lookt up to you, pleading 
for mercy, and you denied it. Do you see 
those tight drawn lips, silenced with an oath 
upon them? They were once the childish lips 
that spoke truth to you, and you branded it a 
lie. Do you see that heavy hand, still grasp- 
ing the deadly weapon? Is it the hand of a 
murderer? It was once the innocent little 
hand that gathered wild flowers for you, and 
you refused them. Is Dick Haley a criminal? 
You made him a criminal when you unmer- 
cifully punisht him for a crime of which he 
was innocent. 




CHAPTER XIV. 

THE CURTAIN FALLS THE LIGHTS ARE OUT. 

The church was packt, and in spite of the 
cold weather a number stood, with close-but- 
toned overcoats and caps pulled down, at the 
entrance, as the pall-bearers approacht. With 
diflSculty the entrance and the aisle were 
cleared. A profound hush swept over the au- 
dience, as the bearers of the heavy casket 
laboriously made their way up the aisle lead- 
ing to the rostrum, preceded by the black- 
robed minister, with head bared, and Bible 
close claspt to his side. Tho a number fol- 
lowed the coffin, there was but one mourner, 
and that the bent, tho graceful, form of a 
woman, who followed close behind the pall- 


224 


DICK HALEY 


bearers, and whose pale face was nearly hid- 
den by the black veil she wore. 

The songs were sung, the Scripture read, 
the prayer offered, and with apparent difficul- 
ty the sermon was preached — with difficulty, 
for the entire discourse seemed a struggle on 
the part of the good minister between sympa- 
thy for the sad heart before him and warning 
to the large number of ‘^unsaved’’ in his great 
congregation. But through it all the solitary 
mourner sat unmoved, her pale, pincht face 
alone telling of her agony, her tearless eyes 
fixt steadily upon the black casket, heeding 
neither the child at her side nor the multi- 
tude of eyes that were turned from time to 
time upon her. Nor did she seem mindful, or 
even conscious, a little later, of the throng 
that past between her and the uncovered cas- 
ket, viewing for the last time the face of Dick 
Haley. 

In the rear of the room among those who 
were standing was a young man, who had giv- 
en the closest attention to the entire service. 


THE CURTAIN FALLS 


225 


He was well drest, his face was handsome and 
intelligent, his locks were raven. He had not 
removed his overcoat, and he held in one hand 
his hat and in the other a bouquet of white 
chrysanthemums, which he had taken from 
his overcoat pocket, and from which he had 
just removed the handkerchief that had been 
wrapt about it. He was known to most of 
the audience, for he was the cashier of the 
Merchant’s National Bank at the county-seat, 
and his childhood and youth had been spent 
in that community. He fell into the line that 
was moving slowly to the front. He paused a 
moment at the side of the casket, and gazed 
intently at the silent face beneath the glass. 
Then gently laying the bunch of pure white 
flowers on the cofBn lid, he moved on. He 
brusht a tear from his face. Those who ob- 
served him, and many there were, wondered 
at those manifestations of sympathy, tho some 
of the older ones recalled his connection with 
Dick’s early school life. But he was unob- 
servant of those about him, for he was entire- 


226 


DICK HALEY 


ly absorbed in viewing some vivid pictures 
hung in early childhood in the studio of his 
memory. There was one of the first day at 
school: There was the innocent freckled face, 
the honest blue eyes, the timid, shrinking form, 
the old torn hat, and the shabby clothes; and 
later the tear-stained cheeks and the refusal 
of the apple. How sadly distinct the picture ! 
How his heart went back to that day with a 
yearning sympathy toward the fatherless 
child. And then another picture swung be- 
fore him, and at sight of it his face turned 
pale, and tears filled his eyes: The pearl- 
handled knife, the terrible whipping, the 
pleading face, the wild scream of pain, the 
thin-clad, flinching, writhing body, and — Dick, 
poor Dick, blinded with tears, feeling his way 
among the seats, and humbly laying the little 
knife in his hand. forgive you, Dick,’’ he 
thought to himself, forgive you a thousand 
times. How I wish I had given you the knife 
— and a hundred more, if they would have 
saved you from a life like yours !” Ah ! had he 


THE CURTAIN FALLS 


227 


but known that the pulseless heart in the cas- 
ket there was as innocent of that theft as was 
his own, would not his own have broken? 
Would he not have returned and kist the glass 
above the silent face? 

At last the long procession had past the 
coflSn. The glass, was removed from over the 
face of the dead. The minister stept quietly 
to the side of the mourner, and said in a low 
voice ; 

^^Now you may look.’’ 

She started as from a dream. Rising, she 
moved slowly to the coffin. Resting a hand on 
either side, she bent over the lifeless form, 
gazing intently, motionless and silent, into the 
still face. Her eyes moved searchingly from 
feature to feature, as an artist might study 
a face he was to paint. — Indeed she was paint- 
ing on the canvas of her memory a picture she 
would carry in her sad heart to the grave. — 
She laid her hand softly on the smooth-shaven 
cheek, as if to make sure there was no life- 
warmth there. Then she stoopt, and kist the 


228 


DICK HALEY 


I 

forehead. Again for several moments she 
stood bending over the coffin, and gazing in- 
tently at the face as before. Lifting herself 
from the casket, she claspt her hands tightly 
over her heart, and for the first time since she 
entered the door she uttered a sound. — The 
wild, blood-curdling wail of a woman’s broken 
heart rang out through the still church room; 
and then turning her eyes directly upward, 
and lifting her tightly claspt hands as high 
as she could above her head, she uttered again 
a wilder scream, which seemed to freeze the 
blood in the very hearts of them that heard it ; 
and, rigid and stiff, she fell at full length 
backward. Her husband dropt the child, and 
sprang toward her, the minister sprang to the 
other side, and between them they caught her 
just in time to save a heavy fall. She had 
fainted, and they bore her unconscious body 
from the room. — Ah ! Dick, had you but known 
how she loved you, for her sake you might have 
resisted the temptation before which you fell. 

Dick, my boy, I too must take my last look at 


THE CURTAIN FALLS 


229 


you, and say, Farewell. I know the harmless 
hand now resting on your breast is the hand of 
a murderer ; I know the pulseless heart beneath 
it, pierced by the messenger of death, is the 
heart of a criminal ; I know I am looking upon 
the face of a drunkard ; I know the last words 
that past those silent lips, now husht in death 
forever, were words of blasphemy; — yes, T 
know it all, and more; and yet, for all that, 
I cannot but love you still. Tho I look upon 
your full-grown form, I am thinking of you 
as you used to be — the trustful, timid, bash- 
ful child — and my heart aches as I think what 
a sweet smile, a kind word, a tender look, a 
gentle touch or an affectionate embrace from 
your first teacher might have saved you. Fare- 
well ; and may the story of your bitter life and 
sad end awaken some of the teachers of the 
children of our noble land to a higher, holier, 
fuller sense of the great responsibilities and 
opportunities that God has made their own, 
and thus make less rough the way, and less 


230 


DICK HALEY 


bitter the life, of some other poor, fatherless, 
motherless, or friendless child. 


As I write these closing words, the snow is 
falling solftly, silently, beautifully; — God is 
covering with a fleece of the purest spotless 
white the graves of Dick Haley and his teach- 
er, as they sleep in yonder country church- 
yard side by side. So let us cast the mantle 
of charity over the graves of the past, and for- 
giving, but NOT FORGETTING, let US press for- 
ward toward the standard of a closer affec- 
tion and love and sympathy for the children, 
especially those of the poor, the shunned and 
the down-trodden, of our great public schools. 


[the end.] 


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